15 interesting facts about Kylian Mbappe that most people do not know

Footballer Kylian Mbappe represents France internationally and plays as a forward for Paris Saint-Germain. He is among the world's most promising young footballers. When Mbappe first entered the professional ranks, he was integral to Monaco's 2016–17 Ligue 1 championship team. This article contains 15 interesting facts about Kylian Mbappe that most people do not know.

After joining Paris Saint-Germain, Kylian Mbappe quickly became one of the world's top attackers, helping the club win numerous Ligue 1 championships and French Cups. In addition to being an integral part of France's 2018 FIFA World Cup winning squad, he has earned the prize for Ligue 1 Player of the Year twice.

Fun facts about Kylian Mbappe

Many consider Mbappe to be the finest player of his generation due to his lightning speed, deft dribbling, and clinical finishing. Important facts about Kylian Mbappe are detailed below.

1. The second teenager to score at the World Cup final

Mbappé is just the second youngster in World Cup history to score in the final. The legendary Pelé is the only person to do it before him. What this means for his future is quite intriguing. Pelé joked,

2. Godfather to Pandas

There was a special naming ceremony for two pandas in 2021 at the Beauval Zoo in France, and Mbappé was named godfather. Kylian expressed his gratitude for the opportunity to become the pandas' godfather, and the World Wildlife Fund reports that fewer than 2,000 pandas are left in the wild.

3. Loves sneakers

Obsessions vary from person to person. Among Mbappé's many apparent interests is a pair of sneakers. He says he acts like a "kid with a new toy" whenever he gets a new pair of shoes.

Currently, the Frenchman is enjoying life as a sponsored athlete for Nike, which has given him his very own webpage, "Boutique De Mbappé." He continues to add to his collection despite already having hundreds of those.

4. Is an avid gamer

Kylian has a long gaming history; when he is not training for a game or netting spectacular goals, you can find him at home, engrossed in a FIFA session. As a lifelong fan, Mbappé's desire came true when he was featured on the covers of FIFA 21 and FIFA 22.

5. He could have played for another country

Despite his French upbringing, Mbappé's parents are from Cameroon and Algeria. Based on this logic, Mbappé could have easily played for Cameroon or Algeria but opted to represent France instead. His hard work paid off in 2016 when he and France won the U19 UEFA European Championships, and in 2018, he helped France win the World Cup.

6. He was AS Monaco's youngest-ever player

Regarding the facts about Kylian Mbappe's childhood, he signed a contract with the AS Monaco Youth Academy when he was thirteen. After waiting two years, he broke Thierry Henry's record of 21 years set in 1994, becoming the club's youngest-ever first-team player, making his senior debut in Ligue 1 at 16 years and 347 days.

Mbappe had a sensational first season at AS Monaco, scoring 26 goals and assisting on eight more. He transferred to Paris Saint-Germain for €180 million (about $190 million) after making just 60 appearances for the club.

7. He is faster than Usain Bolt

Kylian Mbappe's speed is one of his fame. The Frenchman usually has devastating results whenever he has the ball and decides to drive at a defender.

He hit his stride and reached 23.61 mph on the setup play for his first three goals vs AS Monaco in 2019. That pales compared to the world record 100-meter dash time of 23.35 seconds set by Jamaican sprinter and "fastest man alive" Usain Bolt at the 2009 World Championships.

8. He is the highest earner in world Football

Despite Real Madrid's efforts, PSG made a stunning U-turn and signed Kylian Mbappe to a three-year contract to keep him in Paris until 2025. The estimated £546 million that Mbappe expects to earn during his extended stay was the most shocking headline.

He earns almost £1 million a week, which works out to £300 every minute. The true extent of Mbappe's financial power becomes apparent when one adds up his "on-field" (pay and bonuses) and "off-field" (sponsorships and endorsements) total value.

9. He almost joined Chelsea

Kylian Mbappe was a European sensation in 2012 when he was twelve, drawing interest from teams like Real Madrid. Liverpool and Manchester City were reportedly interested in signing him. However, the trial offer came from Chelsea FC.

Those at Stamford Bridge allegedly were not convinced by Mbappe's performance at first, so they offered him a spot in their academy instead of signing him. However, the French striker decided to remain in France and join AS Monaco a year later.

The Karim Benzema story: From being banned from the France national team to winning the Ballon d'Or

Football

10. His first idol was not Cristiano Ronaldo

Mbappe admired the Portuguese superstar since he was a little boy, even before he turned pro. CR7 was not even his first role model. Mbappe said in a recent online interview,

The notion of being a worldwide legend of the game is thought to hold enormous significance for Mbappe, as is the relevance of international football. Mbappe is already a national idol and a World Cup champion in his early twenties.

11. A kind soul

As active as Mbappe is in his football career, he is also deeply committed to helping those in need. The "Kylian Mbappe Foundation" is his independently run foundation that provides aid to disadvantaged youngsters in Africa and France. The foundation is there to help kids who are disabled.

12. Ligue 1 Player of the Year three times in a row

The Ligue 1 Player of the Year award has gone three years in a row to Mbappe (2018–19, 2020–21, 2021-22). The COVID-19 epidemic prevented the presentation of the individual trophy for the 2019–20 season.

13. Youngest hat-trick scorer in World Cup final

When Mbappe scored his hat trick in the World Cup final, he became the youngest player to do so. He scored three goals in the 2022 World Cup final versus Argentina when he was twenty-three years, eleven months and twenty-eight days old.

14. LeBron James friendship

The bond between Mbappe and NBA superstar LeBron James is strong, and the two have been photographed together multiple times. In January of 2021, the two even changed their Instagram profile pictures.

15. Youngest Frenchman to win the World Cup

As a member of France's 2018 FIFA World Cup-winning national team, he became the youngest French player to reach the tournament's final and claim the trophy. Mbappe was named the tournament's Best Young Player and scored four goals while competing.

Final word

One significant fun fact about Kylian Mbappe is that he is among the best football players in the world. His finishing, pace, and dribbling prowess are well-recognized.

Sports Brief published an article on one of New Zealand's professional rugby players, Jean Josh Lord. He represents the Chiefs and the New Zealand national rugby union team.

Josh Lord's Chiefs career began in 2019 when he made his provincial debut for Taranaki. However, injuries have ruled him out in most New Zealand games. Dive into his personal and professional life by clicking on the link above.