Kylian MBAPPÉ

France

Football

Year of Birth1998

Social Media

Biography

"Liberté, Égalité, Mbappé." Few athletes have managed to capture the hearts and imaginations of a nation as Kylian Mbappé has done for France. In fact, many fans have playfully re-branded the country's slogan to emphasise their love for their brightest star.

Kylian Mbappé was born in Bondy, a suburb of Paris, in December 1998 to Wilfried Mbappé, a football coach of Cameroonian origin, and Fayza Lamari, a professional handball player of Algerian descent.

Kylian's footballing talent was evident from a very young age, and he quickly gained a reputation as a prodigious young talent. Mbappé began his career with the local club AS Bondy before making a move to Ligue 1 side AS Monaco in 2013. There, he made his professional debut at the young age of 16.

The Frenchman swiftly made a mark with the southern French club. His lightning-quick pace (he has been measured as fast as 38 km/h) and goal-scoring ability played a pivotal role in Monaco's unlikely Ligue 1 title triumph in 2017 and their journey to the UEFA Champions League semifinals.

Kylian Mbappe's Rise to Stardom at PSG

In August 2017, Mbappé attracted interest from several top European clubs, including Real Madrid. However, he opted to join Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) on an initial loan deal, which later became a permanent transfer for a reported fee of €180 million, making him the second most expensive player in the history of the sport.

At PSG, the striker continued to excel and break records. He earned multiple Ligue 1 Player of the Year awards and became the club's all-time leading goal-scorer, surpassing legends like Zlatan Ibrahimovic, Edinson Cavani, and Pedro Pauleta.

In the summer of 2022, as Mbappé's contract with PSG neared its expiration, he came close to joining European giants Real Madrid. However, in the closing days of the transfer window, he pledged his future to PSG and signed a new contract, reaffirming his connection with the French fans.

"I am convinced that here I can continue to grow within a club that gives itself all the means to perform at the highest level. I am also very happy to be able to continue to evolve in France, the country where I was born, grew up, and flourished," he remarked upon signing the new contract.

The love affair with the French public faced major upheaval in the summer of 2023 when PSG listed Mbappé on the transfer market, a year before his contract was set to expire. The striker trained separately from the first team as interest from Saudi Arabia emerged.

However, the 24-year-old declined to entertain the Middle East offers and could remain in the French capital until the end of his contract in the summer of 2024.

Shining with the French national team

In addition to his impressive club career in the French league, the 1.78m striker has shone for the national team since his debut in March 2017 at 18. He played a crucial role in guiding France to victory in the 2018 FIFA World Cup, scoring four goals during the tournament, including one in the final against Croatia. His performances earned him the FIFA World Cup Best Young Player Award.

The French ace played a pivotal role in his team's quest to retain the World Cup in the winter of 2022 in Qatar, only narrowly falling short in the final against Lionel Messi's Argentina. Mbappé scored three goals in the final, earning him the Golden Boot Award after finishing as the tournament's top scorer with eight goals.

Appointed French national team captain in 2023, he may be on the brink of participating in the Paris Olympics in his hometown, a tournament he has always dreamed of being a part of.

"It was when I watched the Olympic Games in London 2012 that I realised the importance of this global event. The Games are 'THE' reference in sports, the absolute Holy Grail that every athlete aspires to compete in and experience at least once in their lifetime," he expressed in an October 2021 interview with L'Equipe newspaper.

Kylian Mbappe's Stats and Wins

French national team

FIFA World Cup 2018 winner
UEFA Nations League 2021 winner
FIFA World Cup 2018 Best Young Player Award
UEFA Nations League 2021 Top Scorer: 2 Goals
UEFA Nations League 2021 Top Assist: 2 Assists

Club career

French Ligue 1 Champion x6: 2017 (Monaco), 2018 (PSG), 2019 (PSG), 2020 (PSG), 2022 (PSG), 2023 (PSG)
French National Cup x3: 2018 (PSG), 2020 (PSG), 2021 (PSG)
French League Cup x2: 2018 (PSG), 2020 (PSG)
French Community Shield x4: 2019 (PSG), 2020 (PSG), 2021 (PSG), 2023 (PSG)
French Ligue 1 Player of the Year x4: 2019 (PSG), 2021(PSG), 2022 (PSG), 2023 (PSG)
French Ligue 1 Top Scorer x5: 2019 (33 goals - PSG), 2020 (18 - PSG), 2021 (27 - PSG), 2022 (28 - PSG) and 2023 (29 - PSG)
French Ligue 1 Top Assist 2022: (17 Assists - PSG)