International Players

When Kylian Mbappe proved he is ready to overtake Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo

By Adedamola Samuel

Kylian Mappe scored a hat-trick in a 4-1 defaet of Barcelona in the Round-of-16 of the UEFA Champions League with Lionel Messi on the pitch.

Kylian Mappe scored a hat-trick in a 4-1 defaet of Barcelona in the Round-of-16 of the UEFA Champions League with Lionel Messi on the pitch.

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Kylian Mbappe is already one of the best players in the world at the moment. The 22-year-old  PSG attacker has won some of the biggest trophies available within the short time he has spent in his career. Mbappe has played for Monaco and PSG in his club career and also represented France in the 2018 FIFA World Cup. Despite his young age, he has been involved in top-level matches and he has made a difference in those matches. 

In the final of the 2018 FIFA World Cup, Mbappe became the youngest player to score at a World Cup final, beating Pele's record. While at Monaco, he led the team to the Champions League semifinals as a 17-year-old with many eye-catching performances along the way. However, perhaps his biggest performance yet was in the colours of Paris Saint-Germain, in the Round-of-16 first-leg fixture of the 2020/21 UEFA Champions League against Barcelona. Many refer to this match as the match when Kylian Mbappe staked his claim to the throne of Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi.


   Kylian Mbappe has been compared with Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo

Kylian Mbappe Vs. Lionel Messi - PSG Vs. Barcelona - 2020 UEFA Champions League Round-of-16

Since he burst onto the football scene, Kylian Mbappe has been touted as the heir to Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi and he has often been compared with them. However, in February 2021, the Frenchman put in a performance that showed the justification for that tag. Nonetheless, at the Camp Nou with Lionel Messi on the pitch and stealing the show from the 6-time Ballon d'Or winner. 

Lionel Messi opened the scoring through a penalty but the consensus before then was that Kylian Mbappe was the most dangerous player on the pitch and he proved it. The 22-year-old brought the game level as he bamboozled his way into the box, going past PSG defenders and firing a ferocious shot past Marc-Andre ter Stergen in the Barcelona goal. His second goal showed the predatory instincts of a No 9, latching on to a half-clearance from Gerard Pique to tap the ball home on the hour mark. Mbappe completed his hat-trick by finishing off a flowing move by Julian Draxler with a curling finish past the Barcelona goalkeeper.

In very rare cases has Lionel Messi been on the field and another player would be the cynosure of eyes, much less an opponent player at the Camp Nou. Mbappe managed this as he single-handedly led his team to a 4-1 demolition of Barcelona at the Camp Nou. Though Barcelona was already in shambles before the match, the match served as the match where Mbappe showed that he is ready to replace Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo.

 


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