• The 2018 World Cup victory propelled Mbappe into superstardom.
• His transfer drama with Real Madrid and subsequent displays of petty behaviour at PSG.
• He is still very much well-liked but I would say the perception has changed a little bit.

By the time the World Cup final was announced on Wednesday, the last whistle still hadn’t sounded in the upper reaches of Al Bayt Stadium.

Not France vs. Argentina, but rather two players wearing jersey number 10: Paris Saint-Germain teammates tied for the Golden Boot; one nearing the end of his extended reign over football vs. one who already has one hand on the throne; one man desperately chasing World Cup glory vs. one boy who could end up a two-time world champion by the age of 23.
Silencing the outside world, however, reveals subtler nuances in the story.

Although they are the most well-known players on their respective teams, Mbappe and Messi’s World Cup personas couldn’t be more different.

The 2018 World Cup victory propelled Mbappe into superstardom and rendered him untouchable in the eyes of the French. His transfer drama with Real Madrid and subsequent displays of petty behaviour at PSG, where he signed a massive contract, damaged his reputation.

“He is still very much well-liked but I would say the perception has changed a little bit along with his status as one of the world’s best footballers. Somebody who is incredibly driven by team goals, but by personal goals as well,” wrote Matt Spiro in Sacre Bleu: Zidane to Mbappé – A Football Journey.

To put it bluntly, “I don’t think he’s the simplest individual to incorporate in a collective.”

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