It’s already been quite a year for Paris Saint-Germain striker Kylian Mbappe and judging by his latest performance it promises to get even better.
After scoring four times for France in their Fifa World Cup triumph this summer in Russia the 19-year-old star has carried his international form into the club season at PSG.
The French champions are already eight points clear at the top of Ligue 1 and yesterday they beat Lyon 5-0. It was Mbappe who stole the headlines with four goals in only 13 minutes as Thomas Tuchel’s side ran riot at the Parc des Princes.
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Mbappe scored on 61, 66, 69 and 74 minutes to become Ligue 1’s top scorer for the season and break a 45-year record for the youngest player to net four goals in France’s top-flight. PSG also broke an 82-year-old record with their ninth league win in the opening nine games.
Neymar: Mbappe’s a phenomenon
ESPN reports that Mbappe “played down” his four-goal performance against Lyon by saying it was an all-round team effort. He told Canal+: “We got the record and I will put my man-of-the-match award in my trophy cabinet. Records are great, but I want to insist of the team aspect - there will be other chances to speak about records.
“The team is the most important thing. We wanted to measure ourselves against a team like Lyon. They are a great team - they showed that in the Champions League and in big matches.”
However, Mbappe’s PSG teammate Neymar could not hide his admiration of the teenage sensation. Quoted by the Daily Mail, the Brazilian said: “For me he’s a phenomenon. I hope it will continue like that for several years because football will thank him.”
Ballon d’Or for Mbappe?
With a World Cup winner’s medal, two Ligue 1 titles and 67 goals in 135 career matches under his belt so far, the sky’s the limit for Mbappe.
Could he one day be named the best player in the world by winning the prestigious Ballon d’Or award? He said: “Why not? I don’t forbid anything. I will continue to progress, to play. If it comes, it comes and if it does not come, no problem.”
Mbappe’s four-goal salvo best tweets
How Twitter reacted to Mbappe’s man-of-the-match performance for PSG against Lyon.
