Kylian Mbappe : Catch Him if You Can

 

Just 24 & Mercurial 

He just turned 24 yesterday and at this young age Kylian Mbappe is already sharing space with the greats of the game. There is no other player post the Messi-Ronaldo era to have enjoyed so much attention and if Messi and Ronaldo do not return to play for their countries, Mbappe would don the mantle of the best player in present times.

It is not just about his achievements as a player, though of course he has won the World Cup in 2018, almost did it again in 2022 and  won the French League for his club Paris St Germain, A UEFA Champions League Title and the  European Championship are the ones that elude him. But with age on his side Mbappe might end up with ever more silverware than mentioned above. His talent and amazing skill is what makes him so different from the rest.

Kylian Mbappe : A Legend in the Making : photo courtesy The New York Times

4 Distinctive Traits

As a player Mbappe has Four  very distinctive qualities. One is pace, the other is his ability to strike with great precision and power, the third being his zeal  to be in the right place at the right time and the fourth being his unflinching temperament. This was all on display in the World Cup and particularly during the pulsating Final it was an exhibition of all his four distinctive skills.

The Strongly built Mbappe is extremely difficult to stop when in full flight as he veers away from his marker with tremendous speed. He is a nightmare for any  defence in the world. He made a few similar runs in the Final and in the dying minutes of the game made a superb solo run just to be denied by committed though exasperated defenders. His second goal in the Final was a picture of precision, power and position. He was there to receive the ball at the right time and then struck a ferocious volley to beat the keeper who had  seemed to have already covered the angle. But the ball just sped past him, such being the power behind it. Mbappe converted two penalties in the game and one during the penalty shootout. All the strikes were critical and he had to score. Inspite of being such a big occasion Mbappe was ice cool and buried the ball  into the goal. He showed he had nerves of steel. It was a match where Mbappe could do no wrong and scored a hat-trick to stake his claim for greatness.

Is There Any Competition?

Are there any competitors to challenge Mbappe’s supremacy. Yes there are a couple whom I have zeroed on, who can give a tough time to Mbappe. With Messi, Ronaldo, Lewandowski and Karim Benzema on the final lap of their careers, Vinicius Jr and Erling Haaland are the two players who may pose a stiff challenge to Mbappe’s reign.

Vinicius Jr

Vinicius Jr : photo courtesy Goal.com

As far as attributes are concerned Vinicius Jr, Brazil’s brilliant forward and Real Madrid’s star performer is a carbon copy of Kylian Mbappe and there is nothing much to choose between them when it comes to skill and talent. Infact he may just have a bit more pace than Mbappe and his strike power too is a handful. A lot was expected of Vinicius Jr at  the World Cup, but he failed to light up the arena. He is only 20 and surely has sufficient time at hand to prove his mettle.

Erling Haaland

Erling Haaland : photo courtesy The Mirror

Erling Haaland, the 20 year old Norwegian and playing for Manchester City, is a terrific striker indeed. He might be a fraction behind in pace, but when it comes to power and precision, Erling Haaland is deadly. His large strong frame is difficult to stop and he has the ability to get away from his marker and make inroads in the opposition defence. With the next World Cup featuring 48 Teams, Norway would be trying hard to qualify and let Erling Haaland make a statement in front of the World.

So Kylian has some competition, but for now he is soaking in all the admiration pouring for him from across the Globe. He fought hard, he fought brilliantly and even though his Team lost, the World Cup will be remembered for Kylian Mbappe’s heroics too.

Bien Fait Monsieur Mbappe !!…..Catch him if you can.

Read QUICK, Read BETTER @ rizkhan.in

Featured Image : Kylian Mbappe, courtesy News 18