Premier League legend shuns Messi and Ronaldo, names PSG's hat-trick hero as world's best player

- Kylian Mbappe singlehandedly inspired PSG to a 4-1 win over Barcelona

- The Frenchman scored a hattrick for the French club despite conceding first earlier in the game

- Joe Cole has now branded the youngster as the world's best player in the world at the moment

PAY ATTENTION: Join Legit.ng Telegram channel! Never miss important updates!

Former Chelsea and Liverpool forward Joe Cole has labelled Kylian Mbappe the world's best player after singlehandedly inspiring Paris Saint Germain to a 4-1 win over Barcelona at Camp Nou.

The Frenchman scored a hat-trick while Moise Kean also got on the scores sheet as Lionel Messi's goal from the spot ended up a mere consolation ahead of their second leg in France next month.

It took Mbappe about five minutes to restore parity for the visitors in spite of Neymar's absence from the game due to injury.

PAY ATTENTION: Click “See First” under the “Following” tab to see Legit.ng News on your Facebook News Feed!

The World Cup winner added his second in the 65th minute and his third came in the 85th minute and he ended up winning the man-of-the-match award as well as the match-day ball.

Cole, however, believes that Mbappe's performance in the game was that of the world's best adding that it supersedes that of Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo combined as reported by SunSport.

The 39-year-old former England star said while on punditry assignment with BT Sport for the Champions League match that:

"[Mbappe] is the best player in the world, at the moment. The influence he has on his team, the way he can just run away from players.

"His link-up play, his work-rate off the ball... he is the alpha dog in football at the moment.

"The top player in my opinion - maybe Ronaldo still. But as young players go, if you want to build a team, go and get Kylian Mbappe."

Barcelona forward Antoine Griezmann also said that Mbappe will be at the same level as the duo of Messi and Ronaldo soon. He said:

“Kylian Mbappe had a great night. PSG has a great star for the future, who will be at the level of Leo Messi or Cristiano Ronaldo.”

PSG will aim to heap further misery on Barcelona and avoid a repeat of their famous 'remontada' of 2017 in the second leg on March 10.

Legit.ng earlier reported that Lionel Messi's Barcelona was humiliated by Paris Saint Germain at Camp Nou in the first leg of their Champions League rounds of 16 clash.

The French League giants ran riots over their hosts with Kylian Mbappe scoring a hattrick to help his side grab a 4-1 advantage ahead of the second leg in France next month.

Messi had opened the scoring for the Catalans through the spot in the 27th minute but his goal was a mere consolation in the game.

Oluwatomiwa is a sports editor with Legit.ng. He has over eight years of field and office experience in the media industry. He graduated from the Nigerian Institute of Journalism in 2014 with HND in Mass Communication. Connect with him on Twitter @TomiwaBabalola.