Manchester, Sep 29 (AP) By 19, Kylian Mbappe had won the World Cup and was ranked among the most expensive footballers ever, hailed as the successor to legends like Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo. Seven years later, however, Messi and Ronaldo have passed their primes, and Mbappe has yet to clinch the title of the best player in the world.
Remarkably, Mbappe's standing seems to be declining. He recently secured the seventh spot in the Ballon d'Or rankings—football's pinnacle individual honor—recently claimed by French teammate Ousmane Dembele.
Demonstrating sportsmanship, Mbappe acknowledged Dembele's win with a social media post that read, “You deserve it x1000.” Following Dembele, the youthful football prodigy Lamine Yamal took second place. Many now anticipate Yamal will dominate the Ballon d'Or races, challenging Mbappe’s prospects of rising to the top.
Author Luca Caioli, who co-wrote “Mbappe,” chronicling his ascent from prodigy to superstar, reflected on the situation. “The challenges do seem to be getting bigger for him to go to the top,” Caioli remarked to The Associated Press.
This year, 18-year-old Yamal has already claimed the Kopa Trophy for best under-21 player—an accolade he won for a consecutive year. Yamal's spectacular performances leading Spain to a European Championship and Barcelona to victory in the Spanish title have stirred discussions about whether he should have also won the Ballon d'Or, potentially becoming the youngest ever, overtaking Brazilian striker Ronaldo, who won at 21.
Javier Tebas, La Liga's president, suggested Yamal’s age was a factor in his Ballon d'Or overlook. Meanwhile, Yamal’s father insists his son is “the best player in the world by far.”
This year, Mbappe was largely absent from the discussion, despite clinching the Golden Shoe as Europe’s top scorer. Even his club, Real Madrid, showed little disapproval, in contrast to their protest last year when Vinicius Junior lost out to Manchester City’s Rodri.
Although his recognition lags, Mbappe's form does not seem to falter at the age of 26. He celebrated winning his first Golden Shoe shortly after surpassing Thierry Henry’s French goal count by reaching 51 goals. With just six more, he will surpass Olivier Giroud as France's all-time leading scorer.
Mbappe remains unmatched for his youthful accomplishments, likened to Brazil’s Pele, as he scored in a World Cup final during France's 2018 victory. Four years later, he again etched his name in history by scoring a hat trick in the final, during France's narrow defeat to Argentina in a penalty shootout.
Though Dembele’s victory is widely deserved, largely due to his key role in PSG’s winning Champions League, French League, and Cup campaign, Mbappe's acclaim so far has been stunted by timing. As Caioli noted, Mbappe’s move to Real Madrid coincided with an unfortunate downturn for the club following years of PSG success.
Per Caioli, “He made a beautiful season. He is a European Golden Boot (winner) … But he found one of the worst years for Real Madrid. I think he waited too long to go to Madrid … and then chooses the wrong moment.”
He conceded Mbappe appreciates the difficulty of winning a Ballon d’Or: “I did everything I could, but not everything I could to win a Ballon d'Or. It shows how much I still have to do to win this trophy.”
Mbappe's best finish in the Ballon d'Or occurred in 2023, following his World Cup final hat-trick—an accolade claimed by Messi, who led Argentina to victory in Qatar.
The anticipation that Mbappe would lead the Ballon d'Or chart was a reflection of Messi and Ronaldo’s legacies, each claiming the prize multiple times. Another rivalry was foreseen between Mbappe and Man City’s Erling Haaland, a scenario that Yamal’s emergence might now sidestep.
Messi acknowledged Yamal’s potential, saying, “He is the present and, without a doubt, has a great future.” Similarly, Spain coach Luis de la Fuente hailed Yamal’s talent, saying, “We have seen a genius, the product of a genius,” recognizing his giant leap past Pele’s feat of becoming the youngest to win a major international tournament, pivotal in Spain's Euro 2024 victory.
As Mbappe aligns with Real Madrid and Yamal shapes the future with Barcelona, their encounters could emulate the storied clashes witnessed when Ronaldo and Messi dominated Spain’s largest clubs. (AP)
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