Kylian Mbappé: 25 years of goals… as more doubts arise

Kylian Mbappé celebrates his 25th birthday today, Wednesday 20 December, at a pivotal moment in his career to determine whether he will be regarded merely as an excellent football player or a legend on par with the greatest. The French forward, the all-time leading scorer for PSG, the second-highest scorer for France in World Cup history, the fourth-highest scorer for the French national team, and the eighth-highest scorer in Ligue 1 history, has in his nine-year career experienced more triumphs than disappointments. However, the Champions League remains his Achilles’ heel, with his only real flirtation with it being the 2020 final loss against Bayern.

As Mbappé enters a phase where every decision will be meticulously analyzed by the football world, he reflects on a career that began at just 16 years old with Monaco. There, he won the Ligue 1 in the 2016/2017 season and subsequently moved to Paris Saint Germain at 18 for a record transfer fee of 180 million euros (c.$197m), with €145 million (c.$160m) paid initially and an additional 35 million following his contract renewal in May 2022.

The 2018 World Cup in Russia marked the peak of Mbappé's career, where he was a key player for the world champions, notably decimating Argentina in the round of 16 with his blistering speed. Gradually, in Paris, his role grew as he overshadowed Neymar and Cavani, leading PSG to focus intensely on renewing his contract. In a final sprint, Qatar persuaded him to sign a new contract in May 2022, making him the highest-paid player in European football. This unprecedented contract, filled with endless loyalty bonuses and signing premiums, raised questions about whether he made the right sporting decision.

Now PSG’s all-time top scorer, Mbappé's main challenge remains the Champions League, the tournament by which he is continually judged and the only route, aside from international competitions, towards the Ballon d’Or, his other major goal. At 25, Mbappé faces 2024 aiming to lead PSG in Europe’s top competition, as well as eyeing the European Championships in Germany and potentially leading France to Olympic gold in Paris.

Comparing Kylian Mbappé with two of the greatest footballers in history, Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo, his statistics are not far behind. At 25, the former Monaco player has scored 180 goals in 232 Ligue 1 matches, 43 in 67 Champions League games, 29 in 25 French Cup matches, and 12 in 14 World Cup matches, making him France’s second-highest World Cup scorer. However, he has yet to score in four Euro matches. In total, he has 304 goals in 416 appearances: 27 in 60 games with AS Monaco, 231 in 281 with PSG, and 46 in 75 with France.

Messi’s numbers at 25 were also impressive. The Argentine star, now at Inter Miami, had scored 169 goals in 214 matches, 51 in 68 Champions League games, 20 in 33 Copa del Rey matches, 16 in 26 international friendlies, 2 in 10 Copa America games, and 8 in 7 Spanish Super Cup matches, totaling 279 goals in 399 matches. Unlike Mbappé, Messi had already won a Champions League but not a World Cup, which Mbappé would later win in Qatar against PSG’s player.

Finally, Cristiano Ronaldo at 25 had not yet become a goal-scoring machine. Recently signed by Real Madrid, the Portuguese had scored 170 goals in 407 matches: 5 in 31 with Sporting Portugal, 118 in 292 with Manchester United, 15 in 16 with Real Madrid, and 22 in 68 with Portugal. Like Messi, Cristiano Ronaldo had won a Champions League but not a World Cup, unlike Kylian Mbappé.