Zimpapers Logo

DOHA. — Cristiano Ronaldo’s precision.

Lionel Messi’s vision. The speed and power of the original Ronaldo — the one from Brazil.

Kylian Mbappé is elevating his performance to a new dimension at the FIFA World Cup.

As Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo play what will likely be their final World Cup, the France and Paris Saint-Germain striker is erasing any questions over who might succeed them as the sport’s new superstar.

Mbappé delivered another stellar performance when he scored twice and set up another goal for defending champions France in a 3-1 win over Poland on Sunday to reach the quarter-finals of the tournament in Qatar.

“We know about Kylian, of course. He speaks on the football field,” France coach Didier Deschamps said. “He can change a match in just a moment.”

Having already scored four goals when he led his country to the title four years ago as a 19-year-old phenom, the now 23-year-old Mbappé has five and is the leading scorer in this edition of football’s biggest event.

His nine career World Cup goals make him the first player to score that many before the age of 24, breaking a record previously held by Pelé, who had seven at that point.

It’s not just about goals for Mbappé, whose career arc continues to draw comparisons to Pelé, the Brazilian great who had won two World Cup titles by the time he turned 21.

Mbappé is ready to follow Pelé, Diego Maradona, Cristiano Ronaldo and Messi into the pantheon of football greats.

“He hurt us today but I am cheering for him because he is a real star,” Poland coach Czeslaw Michniewicz said through a translator. “I’m talking about Messi, Ronaldo, (Robert) Lewandowski.

If someone is going to take over, I think Mbappé will be the player to be the best one for many years.” — AP