Alan Shearer has lauded Liverpool transfer target Kylian Mbappe and stated that he is ‘like a kid in the playground’ after his match-winning performance for France against Denmark at the 2022 World Cup in Qatar on Saturday.
The PSG forward netted a brace as France recorded a 2-1 win over Denmark to book their place in the knockout stages and Shearer made it clear that it’s because of Mbappe that Didier Deschamps’s side have a chance of securing glory again, as he told BBC Sport.
At only 23, Mbappe already has seven World Cup goals to his name – that’s more than the legendary figure Thierry Henry produced on the world stage and level, with perhaps the greatest of them all in Pele, who also had the same number of goals to his name before his 24th birthday.
From England and Tottenham striker Harry Kane – who won the Golden Boot in Russia – and two of the greatest of the modern era, Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo – will all be gunning for that top-scorer prize.
But it’s probably Mbappe you have to stop, as Shearer was in awe of the player.
“What a player, what a superstar,” said Shearer. “He made the difference tonight. When you’ve got that guy in your team, in the form that he’s in, he looks so comfortable and confident in front of goal, you’ve got a chance. He won the game for them.
“Whatever you have to have as a forward, Kylian Mbappe’s got it all. The timing of his runs, the understanding of when and how to go. He’s a very special talent. Because of him, that is France’s chance [of winning the World Cup again]. If he keeps on performing and he’s in that mood, France have got a chance.
“He looks like a kid in the playground – he just looks like he’s enjoying it. As soon as he gets the ball you can hear the roar and he’s feeding off that, there’s no doubt about that. He loves that – and rightly so.”
LIVERPOOL’S INTEREST IN MBAPPE
The footballing world is at Mbappe’s feet and he can choose whichever club he wants to play for next – and wherever he goes, he will break more records.
For some, Real Madrid is the obvious destination given their past records of signing the best and, nothing but the best.
But could Mbappe sign for Madrid via a Premier League club? There is talk of FSG wanting to sell the Merseyside giants, and whilst there is all this talk about Jude Bellingham, it would be something special if they could add Mbappe to their ranks instead.
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