2018 World Cup: Kylian Mbappé – the greatest gem of world football

D Its appearance is priceless. When Kylian Mbappé returns from the World Cup, he can relax on the huge terrace of his 600 square meter apartment in the 16th arrondissement of Paris. He can lie in the jacuzzi, listen to his rap music and watch the Eiffel Tower. The real estate prices are here, in the most expensive and chic district of Paris, at more than 15,000 euros per square meter.

So much wealth and decadence irritate Mbapped a little, but it also amuses him that he lands here. He feels "a bit like a rock star," said the 19-year-old striker of the French national team, who appears to be poised to become one of the big stars of world football.

"The world is at its feet," she writes The sports magazine "The Team" after Mbappé had completed one of the most outstanding performances of the 2018 World Cup in the round of 16 face-off in Argentina (4: 3). He defeated the 2014 World Cup finalist almost alone, in a way that was typical of him: at a pace that overwhelmed the opposing defense.

The world is at his feet

Marcos took him in the first half Rojo could only be stopped by a foul of eleven fouls, used by Antoine Griezmann at the head of the second half, with two goals in the space of four minutes for the decision in favor of the Habs Team. Mbappé acted as if it cost him little effort. "My colleagues have already said," Do something good! "That's what I tried," he said afterwards.

Mbappé is next to Griezmann the character who nurtures the hope that the semi-final against Belgium on Tuesday in St. Petersburg (20 hours / live ARD and Sky and as a live ticker at WELT) will only be A transit station. The euphoria of being world champion again for the first time since 1998 is important in France as it has not been for a long time.

"I am very impressed by him," said Marcel Desailly, one of Mbappé's 20-year-olds. Completely complete in a rare way: Preview, technical and tight ball control pair with the attacker with unparalleled speed. Mbappé is much more than a mere backcounter – although it seems little visible in the semi-final against Uruguay. But this is misleading.

He has everything to become a great guy

"It's true: the Argentines gave him so much space, it was almost too good to be true. Uruguay, however, had little room to play its speed, but still, it showed how valuable it is, "said Desailly, who serves as an expert on the English" Guardian "at the World Cup. World.

Mbappé would have attracted several defenders from the beginning of the match, creating spaces for the teammates to open. He can now claim the ball in distress. Mbappé is, this had been a little questioned before the World Cup, also physically strong enough to withstand the cover of the man at the highest level.

"He's not afraid That reminds me of Thierry Henry and David Trezeguet, who also had that self-confidence and their conviction of making their mark on the biggest stage in the world, "notes Desailly, comparing the two finalists of the 1998 World Cup. believe that Mbappé has everything to become a great, "said the former defender:" I see no limit for him. "

The room is lined with Ronaldo's posters

Up "At present, the son's career has been of a Cameroonian father and an Algerian mother in a race. He grew up in the small town of Bondy in the suburbs of Paris and joined the junior department of AS Monaco at the age of 14

He could also have gone to Real Madrid. At the invitation of Zinedine Zidane, he visited the Real Training Center Valdebebas. There, he posed with his childhood idol Cristiano Ronaldo for a photo. The walls of his room were then lined with posters of the Portuguese

On December 2, 2015, Mbappé made his debut at the age of 16 in Ligue 1, followed eight days later by his first use in Europa League. On March 25, Didier Deschamps joined him in the qualifying match for the World Cup against Luxembourg then in the 78th minute – there was Mbappé 18 years and 95 days. He was the youngest French international in 62 years.

Mbappé then moved to FC Paris St. Germain last August, the last day of the transfer period. The Monegas would have preferred to see if he had changed overseas. But that was out of the question for him – he desperately wanted to go to Paris to be able to live close to his family again.

The second most expensive player in the world

This resulted in an unusual agreement. Because PSG had already hired Neymar last summer to record 222 million euros, Mbappé had initially been hired for a year to bypbad the Financial Fair Play program. However, Parisians have an option to purchase to commit it firmly for 180 million transfer fee. We expect it to happen soon.

The second most expensive footballer in the world will work with a German coach next season. And unlike Neymar, Mbappé seems to be eager to see Thomas Tuchel, former coach of Borussia Dortmund. "He likes to let his team play, and we are also a team that wants to play the game by itself, so the base is good," he told the newspaper "Le Parisien".

Outsiders successful

For a personal conversation between Although he and Tuchel have not yet come, but the paths of the two are are crossed once before: In April 2017, the BVB and Monaco were in the quarterfinals of the Champions League against. In the first stage, which won the Monegas 3: 2, Mbappé rallied twice. He scored another goal in the 3-1 win in the second leg. However, no one was talking about it at the time, since everything was eclipsed by the bombing on the Dortmund bus the day before the second leg.

Return to world champion

Mbappé hopes to return to Paris as world champion. as a promising candidate for the title of World Player of the Year. Lionel Messi and Ronaldo have always made this choice in the last ten years. But Mbappé should in the semi-final against Belgium and in a possible final build on his good performance, he would have no chance.

However, this would also require that he eradicate his only apparent weakness: his tendency to fall quickly. But he promised an improvement. "Didier Deschamps spoke about it," Mbappé said. He made a promise to his coach: "I have it under my control."

Click here for the schedule of the 2018 World Cup matches in Russia.