Mbappe: France’s new ‘lightning’ kid
KAZAN: Minutes after spearheading France’s 4-3 win against Argentina at the Kazan Arena here, Kylian Mbappe was asked about being the second teenager after Pele to score more than one goal in a knockout match at the World Cup.
“It’s flattering to be the second one after Pele but let’s put things in context: Pele is another category,” he said.
The second question at the post-match press conference was about him being born in the same year as France’s World Cup triumph in 1998. Was he the second trophy of the year for the country? Mbappe laughed. “Well, people remember the World Cup victory more than the year I was born in. It’s normal,” he said.
The World Cup is a bigger stage but Mbappe is used to being the cynosure. During his breakout season with Monaco, Mbappe scored in both legs as his side knocked Pep Guardiola’s Manchester City out of the Champions League in the Round of 16.
He has been deemed French football’s golden boy since, also going on to win the ‘Golden Boy’ award itself in 2017.
After the move to Paris Saintgermain (PSG), Mbappe, 19, has faced the kind of pressure that many older players would find hard to handle. Mbappe not only survived, he has thrived.
Did Mbappe the boy finally pass the baton to Mbappe the man on Saturday? Argentina’s chief tormentor not only overcame the rough treatment meted out by a panic-stricken backline but also scored the third and fourth goals to shut out Argentina.
“There is no better place than a World Cup,” Mbappe said when The youngster, who won a Ligue 1 title with Monaco in 2017, announced himself to the international audience on Saturday, etching his name in history .... Mbappe became only the third teenager to score a goal in the knockout stages of the World Cup asked if he needed a performance like that to establish himself as one of the world’s top players.
Word about the precocious Paris-born forward had spread early. At the Clairefontaine academy, Mbappe had attracted the interest of some of Europe’s biggest clubs. When he was 11, Mbappe went as a trialist to Chelsea and played against Charlton Athletic’s juniors.
The move fell through as Mbappe decided against going abroad. Rumour has it that Real Madrid also tried to sign Mbappe before he joined Monaco whom he would help win the 2016-17 Ligue 1 title.last season, Mbappe scored 21 goals in all competitions in his debut season for PSG. But showcasing his talent in a World Cup round-of-16 match against twice champions is an altogether different deal. France coach Didier Deschamps was asked to compare Mbappe to Brazilian great Ronaldo.
“Ronaldo was a forward who could be fulgurant (like lightning). He was very, very quick. I think Kylian is even quicker,” said Deschamps. “But this is somebody who was a world champion compared to a young player who has a lot of qualities and abilities. He is 19; he will make a lot of progress,” he said. SOCHI: Minutes after Edinson Cavani limped off, Portugal walked out of the World Cup; the genius of Cristiano Ronaldo bowing to the brilliance of the Uruguayan striker who got a brace in the 2-1 win on Saturday.
Cavani, who scored on either side of Pepe’s equalising goal from a corner-kick, left because of a calf problem. He was helped out by Ronaldo, the Portugal skipper’s gesture being applauded around the stadium. “I just felt something at one point and couldn’t recover. I hope (to be fit), I’ll do everything to make sure I can take to the field with my teammates,” said Cavani.
After having won all four games in Russia, twice champions Uruguay play France in the quarter-final in Niznhy Novgorod on Friday. The win was shaped by Cavani’s goals; the first following an exchange of amazing crossfield passes with Luis Suarez and the second a curler fired on the run.
Portugal coach Fernando Santos said Uruguay’s first goal came from an ‘incredible’ move. “There was a cross to the left, a cross to the right, and then one came in from behind. We weren’t able to control that kind of movement.”
On way to being the 2016 European champions, Portugal made the most of what they had available: a world-class striker, a strong defence, a good goalkeeper, a winning mentality and good organisation. On Saturday, they faced a team who did the same things more effectively.
With Diego Godin being the first among equals, Uruguay defended tenaciously, battled in midfield and packed a killer punch in their strike duo of Suarez and Cavani.
“The distinctive feature of the game was the dedication the players showed on the pitch, and that is the way that we see football,” said Uruguay’s coach Oscar Tabarez. “It was difficult. Portugal had more possession and were often in our half of the pitch… We committed a mistake that led to the equaliser but we have a very strong team in terms of mindset.”
Portugal had 61% possession and four times as many shots at goal as Uruguay but Tabarez said what mattered was creating and converting chances. “I think there is often a mistaken assumption that possession leads to goalscoring opportunities,” he said.
NOT THE TIME TO TALK ABOUT FUTURE: CR7
SOCHI: Cristiano Ronaldo didn’t say if he plans to continue playing for Portugal. “Now is not the time to talk about the future, either of the coach or the players,” said Ronaldo who will be nearly 38 in 2022. “I am sure that Portugal will continue to be one of the best teams in the world. We have a young and ambitious squad.”