With his head-turning performances in the world cup, Kylian Mbappe is undoubtedly one of the top 3 footballers in the planet and possibly the best of his generation.
Pele had told La Gazzetta Dello Sport that MbappĂ© could succeed him, and he wasn’t joking. I imagine myself playing quickly in his shoes. He is a striker with fast thinking. He is prepared when the ball is thrown because he already knows what to do, where to go, and how to steer the game to the best outcome. These qualities are crucial in modern football as well. Kylian is similarly quick to run and dribble as I am.
‘I didn’t sleep well the night before because I was asking myself a lot of questions . I was a bit afraid of being stupid in front of him,’ Mbappe said. ‘He is like a monument. I had the impression of finding myself at the bottom of a mountain, without a plan to climb to the top. And when I saw the shining eyes of the journalists during the press conference, I told myself that I was not the only one to be captivated by the man who was next to me.’
Mbappe then revealed what Pele told him, then.
‘This image of his face smiling to welcome me, I will remember it all my life. He kept telling me, when we were face to face, that I reminded him of him when he was younger. Physically, but also in my behavior. He was staring at me and I have the impression that he saw himself again a little. It was even a bit embarrassing . He was so benevolent, a bit like a grandfather with his grandson
After the world cup in 2018, Pele would send Mbappe a signed jersey: ‘Always stay humble and work hard. I am sure you will. I believe you have something special.’
