Late Brazilian football legend, Edson Arantes do Nascimento, also known as Pele, has always had a soft spot for many footballers, but perhaps he had it the most with France international, Kylian Mbappe.
From the very first moment Mbappe appeared in 2017 during his time at Monaco, the young French attacker started racking up praises from Pele himself.
The duo met a couple of times in person and developed a beautiful friendship. Pele always saw a lot of himself every time he watched the Paris Saint-Germain forward perform.
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Despite having the Argentina captain Lionel Messi and the Portugal captain Cristiano Ronaldo as his boyhood heroes, Mbappe has always regarded Pele as the genuine Greatest Player of All Time (GOAT).
The 23-year-old possesses all the qualities Pele did when he was younger.
Pele was a talent that transcended generations, and Mbappe is experiencing something very similar with France.
In July 2018, Pele thanked Mbappe for matching his World Cup record of 60 years in France’s 4-3 victory against Argentina.
Pele praised Mbappe on December 18, 2022, after the match concluded in a 3-3 draw after extra time and France lost to Argentina on penalties 4-2 in the 2022 FIFA World Cup.
In his professional football career, Pele won three World Cups for Brazil, whereas Mbappe has only ever won one World Cup—the 2018 tournament in Russia.
Can Mbappe win three World Cup trophies like Pele before his football career is over?
Mbappe is an exceptional player who will undoubtedly rank among the all-time greats of football, according to Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) FC head coach Abubakar Ibrahim.
On December 18, 2022, Pele praised Mbappe after the game ended in a 3-3 draw following extra time and France’s 4-2 loss to Argentina in the 2022 FIFA World Cup on penalties.
Pele won three World Cups for Brazil throughout his professional football career, but Mbappe has only ever won one—the 2018 championship in Russia.
Can Mbappe emulate Pele by winning three World Cup trophies before the end of his football career?
According to Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) FC head coach Abubakar Ibrahim, Mbappe is an excellent player who will surely be counted among the all-time greats of football.
Pele tragically passed away on December 29, 2022, at the age of 82, after a protracted battle with colon cancer.
In a statement on his Instagram page, Mbappe lamented Pele’s passing, referring to him as a “football king” and stating that his legacy would never be forgotten.
Ibrahim paid respect to the late football great and said, “Well, Pele’s death is a huge miss to all football fans and players throughout the world.”
“One of the greatest footballers to ever grace the planet was born as a poor black lad from Brazil. He has already won his first World Cup at the age of just 17.
“He has demonstrated that nothing is impossible by winning the World Cup three times. In 812 official games, he has scored 757 goals altogether. Even though he didn’t use a brush or a pen, but rather the magic of his feet and the ball, he was an artist on the field. He is no longer with us, but his legacy will go on, the speaker continued.
