It’s been a tremendous season for Kylian Mbappe. The 18-year-old managed to break into Monaco’s first team and earned himself a call-up to the French national team. Some of football’s biggest names reacted positively to the player’s development.
Mbappe made his debut for France at the weekend, in the game against Luxembourg. A season that has seen him score 19 times for Monaco brought him in the attention of head coach Didier Deschamps. The coach complimented the player’s abilities and even compared him to former French goalscorer Thierry Henry.
Henry shared his own views on the player. He was reluctant to compare the player to himself. However, he said he noticed the player’s potential. Henry told Canal Plus “I don’t like comparing players – Mbappe has to become Mbappe and that is all. But my word, he is good. Ooh la la. l really like watching him play.”
18 – Kylian Mbappe (18 yo & 95 days) has become the youngest international since Wisniewski v Sweden in 1955 (18 yo & 61 days). Early. pic.twitter.com/4VFgQrRMp7
— OptaJean (@OptaJean) March 25, 2017
Henry was also asked what he would teach the young Mbappe if he was his coach. The former international said that for a player of his natural talent there is little that needs to be shown.
“When you have kid with that much talent, what are you going to teach him apart from a few tactical things?”
“So it is more [about saying] develop your brain and become a killer. Develop your brain, your intelligence and your movement. What can you see? When you watch a match, don’t just watch the ball, watch the movement off the ball.”
“Understand quickly who is weak in the match, who you should attack and who you shouldn’t attack, how to attack this player and understand all of that.”
Indeed there are several similarities between the 18-year-old and the former striker. Both got their start and Monaco where they showed a flair for scoring goals. Thierry Henry moved on to play for other important teams such as Arsenal, Juventus and Barcelona. Mbappe is on the radar of some of the most important teams in Europe.
Henry believes that Mbappe is developing as a player at a good pace. The former Arsenal striker says that Mbappe’s attitude and intelligence will also help the player in becoming one of Europe’s finest forwards.
“I met him and he gave me the impression that he has a good head on his shoulders,” added the former Arsenal and Barcelona star. There is a thing that annoys me sometimes. We talk about players, ‘He is quick, he is strong, he can jump high’. We never talk about players’ brains and that annoys me.”
“When I watch him dribble, he is thinking. He thinks when he plays and that for me is the most important thing in a player. He thinks. He uses his brain. Yes, he is quick, but he is thinking and that is the sign of a kid who can go a long way in the game.”
13 – Mbappe is the youngest player to score 13 goals in Ligue 1 for 30 years (18 yo & 3 m), ahead of…Thierry Henry (19 yo & 3 m). Pupil. pic.twitter.com/4lhEcBjtNZ
— OptaJean (@OptaJean) March 19, 2017
Another top player commenting on Mbappe’s evolution is Real Madrid defender Sergio Ramos. The player addressed rumors of Real’s interest in signing the youngster. Ramos says that he belives the Frenchman will be welcome at Madrid if he decides to join. Barcelona, Manchester City and Man United are also said to be taking an interest in the player.
“I do not call the president [Florentino Perez] to consult me about signings, but the gates of Real Madrid are always open for the best players,” Ramos told reporters.
“If you come to Madrid Mbappe, we will welcome you with all the affection as we always do with the new players who arrive. But right now it’s a lack respect for those in the squad to get us talking about others who are not from the club.”
