Mbappe Crowned French Player Of The Year
Kylian Mbappe’s remarkable rise to the top of the global game has now seen the Paris Saint-Germain forward crowned French Player of the Year for the first time.
The 20-year-old frontman has enjoyed a remarkable 2018.
He had already enjoyed a stunning rise to prominence prior to entering the current calendar year.
After bursting onto the scene as a precociously-gifted teenager at Monaco, a big-money transfer had taken him to Parc des Princes.
Another Ligue 1 title triumph was enjoyed in 2017-18, as PSG swept the board in terms of domestic honours.
Mbappe then headed to Russia with his country and a shot at World Cup glory.
He helped Les Bleus to go all the way, with a fine individual effort netted in a 4-2 final triumph over Croatia.
His efforts were recognised with the Young Player Award, and his game has continued to go from strength to strength.
Mbappe has hit 16 goals in 19 appearances for PSG this season, as they continue to chase down more trophies at home and abroad.
Alongside those heroics, he has also become the inaugural winner of the Kopa Trophy – the prize bestowed upon the finest under-21 player on the planet.
He finished fourth in the vote for the 2018 Ballon d’Or, with that lofty standing placing him above five-time winner Lionel Messi.
Those in his native France have now recognised him as the country’s finest performer.
Mbappe was awarded that gong by France Football, having edged out Raphael Varane and Antoine Griezmann.
He inherits the title from Chelsea midfielder N’Golo Kante, who came out on top in 2017.
While this is the first time that he has scooped the award, it is unlikely to be the last.
More is expected of Mbappe in the years to come, with many tipping him to become the world’s best player and be involved in more high-profile transfers.
For the time being, though, a humble performer is merely seeking to remain on an upward career curve that has already carried him a long way in a very short space of time.