The FIFA World Cup 2026 is just around the corner, but one of the biggest stories of the last tournament still lingers in the minds of football fans. France's Kylian Mbappe had announced himself as a superstar, and his journey to the top is a story worth telling.
Before the 2018 edition of the tournament, the world already knew a bit about Mbappe. He had dazzled through his performances for AS Monaco and won a Ligue 1 title, earning a blockbuster move to Paris Saint-Germain. However, it was the FIFA World Cup where he took the next leap, and started being talked about in the same breath as Cristiano Ronaldo, Lionel Messi, and Neymar.
Aged just 19, Mbappe arrived at the tournament as one of France's brightest prospects. And eventually, he left the competition as the face of football's future. His biggest moment came in the Round of 16 tie against Messi's Argentina. France and Argentina were locked in a thrilling contest, and it was then that Mbappe produced one of the most jaw-dropping performances the World Cup has witnessed from a teenager.
He collected the ball inside his own half and charged forward, accelerating with astonishing speed, surging past Argentinian defenders. Such was his movement that the defenders had no option but to bring him down inside the penalty area, resulting in France winning a penalty. He set up the goal at first, and then he himself got on the scoring sheet, striking twice in the second half.
The match ended 4-3 in France's favour, but the scoreline barely captured the impact of Mbappe's display. He had become the first teenager since Pelé to score twice in a World Cup knockout match. More importantly, he had announced himself to the world.
The game against Argentina wasn't the end of Mbappe's Midas touch. As France advanced in the competition, his confidence continued to grow. Didier Deschamps' side mixed defensive solidity with devastating pace in transition, and Mbappé was the perfect foil to his tactics.
Then came the final against Croatia. Traditionally, the World Cup finals are not supposed to be won by teenagers as the pressure is immense and the stakes overwhelming. But Mbappe looked completely unfazed.
With France leading in Moscow, he received the ball outside the penalty area and drove a precise low shot beyond the Croatian goalkeeper. The goal made him only the second teenager ever to score in a men's World Cup final, joining Pele in one of football's most exclusive clubs.
France won 4-2 and lifted the trophy. Mbappe stood out not just because of his age but because of how naturally he seemed to belong on that stage. In the competition, he registered four goals, a World Cup winner's medal, and a series of astonishing runs on the field. The tournament gave football its next superstar.
