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LIGUE1-FRANCE-MBAPPE- TIME
Mbappe is Time magazine’s ‘Future of Soccer’
PARIS, Oct 12, 2018 (BSS/AFP) – Paris Saint-Germain striker Kylian
Mbappe’s rapid rise to global fame has earned the teenaged World Cup winner
an appearance on the cover of Time magazine’s international edition, to
appear on Friday.
Time said Mbappe was a global superstar who “is the future of soccer.”
Mbappe made headlines in September 2017 when he moved from Ligue 1 side
Monaco to Paris Saint-Germain for a staggering 180 million euros ($207
million), a deal that saw the then 18-year-old player handed a reported
monthly salary of 1.5m euros ($1.8m).
But the 19-year-old’s stock skyrocketed during this year’s World Cup,
where a series of phenomenal displays drew compliments from Brazil legend
Pele on his way to helping France end their 20-year wait to win another World
Cup trophy.
Mbappe became the youngest French goalscorer in World Cup history when he
struck in a 1-0 win over Peru in the group stages.
The teenager from the gritty Parisian suburb of Bondy then tore apart
Argentina, scoring twice and earning a penalty as Les Blues eliminated the
highly-fancied South Americans 4-3 in the last 16 knockout round.
In doing so, Mbappe became only the second teenager, after Pele in 1958,
to score two goals in a World Cup match.
When Mbappe scored with a 25-yard strike in the final, a 4-2 win over
Croatia, he became only the second teenager to do so, after Pele, in 1958.
With a total of four goals in the tournament, Mbappe received FIFA’s award
for Best Young Player of the World Cup.
Arguably better still were the plaudits from Pele himself, who said: “If
Kylian keeps on equalling my records, I’m going to have to dust off my
boots.”
Mbappe’s teenage days will end when he celebrates his 20th birthday on
December 20.
He played a key role for France on Thursday, equalising from the penalty
spot in a 2-2 friendly draw against Iceland.
BSS/AFP/IJ/1618 hrs