Kylian Mbappé’s 26th birthday is the ideal opportunity to analyze his progress against two football icons: Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo. The table in question shows eloquent statistics which place Mbappé in an enviable position, but not without downsides.
A lead on Ronaldo, a delay on Messi
With 344 goals in 477 matches, the captain of the Blues far exceeds Cristiano Ronaldo at the same age (224 goals in 488 matches). This efficiency testifies to a precocious talent, magnified by prolific seasons at Paris Saint-Germain and the French team.
However, facing Lionel Messi, the challenge is more complex. At 26, Messi already had 348 goals, accompanied by 139 assists, figures slightly higher than those of the Bondynois. Even more impressive, Messi had already won four Ballons d’Or and won three Champions Leagues, while Mbappé remains in search of his first continental coronation.
Is Mbappé ahead or behind Messi and Ronaldo?
The singularity of Mbappé: a precocious world champion
Despite these shortcomings, Mbappé possesses a unique distinction. At 26, he is the only one of these three players to have won a World Cup. His key role in 2018, capped by an epic final in 2022 with a hat-trick, places him in a category of his own. Neither Messi nor Ronaldo have achieved such success on the international stage at this age.
If Mbappé is lagging behind on certain individual trophies, his performances and his potential still place him in the race to make history. The absence of the Champions League or Ballon d’Or does not erase the unique mark it already leaves on world football.
