No, end thread.
Is Mbappe the best french player ever?
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Thomas Müller had 10 before he turned 25 then hasn't scored in the World Cup since.
Prunier > Zizu > Platini
fair enough, BBC got that wrong then
edit: Just Fontaine as well? Maybe I read it wrong
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Weird thread. Why would anyone consider Mbappe at this stage of his career the best French player ever?
Henry was definitely a better player. That's before you get onto Zidane.
Yep, Henry used to give me nervous sweats every time we face Arsenal. It felt like at any moment he could explode. He was phenomenal. I used to hate playing Arsenal in those days as they had so much pace throughout the team.
Even games where we completely dominated Arsenal like the 6-2 I would still be nervous throughout the whole game thinking Henry could have a devastating few minutes to change the game.
I think he will be when all is said and done. He's just so far ahead of the curve. He's already got more WC and CL goals than Henry, not to mention he's been one of the top assist-makers in the CL as well the past 3 seasons and he's only 23. He will smash all the French records when he's done, possibly the world records as well.
It's Platini. The best French player I've still ever seen.
The only area Zidane was better than Platini is dribbling, but Platini was also a great dribbler. Passing, scoring, game IQ and set pieces is all Platini.
The only area Zidane was better than Platini is dribbling, but Platini was also a great dribbler. Passing, scoring, game IQ and set pieces is all Platini.
He has the potential to be the best and no French player has hit the heights he has done in his late teens and early 20s.
But no. Henry has a broader portfolio of work, Kopa won a Ballon D’Or (as have Papin and Benzema), while Zidane and Platini singularly dominated international tournaments to coronate their best player in the world status. All within the gift of Mbappe but not yet delivered upon.
But no. Henry has a broader portfolio of work, Kopa won a Ballon D’Or (as have Papin and Benzema), while Zidane and Platini singularly dominated international tournaments to coronate their best player in the world status. All within the gift of Mbappe but not yet delivered upon.
Not yet.
When I first saw him for Monaco I knew he was special. It's very easy to spot, just hard to say how high the ceiling is. Had the same feeling with 16-17 year old Leroy Sane back at Schalke who has since had a very good career but obviously not GOAT level.
Then when Mbappe transferred to PSG he proved it once more. And then he was more or less player of the tournament at 19 in a world cup. And now this. I've said it before, I for one would not be surprised if he equals Peles 3 world cups. He is that good. Better than Messi for years now although it sacrilegious to say it. And it's very exciting that he also has a rival in Haaland who will push him for 10 years straight, neither can relax.
Give him time and he will be number 1 in every parameter. In ability, yes, if we are counting attackers. Never saw Platini but Zizou was exceptional in a very different role so hard to compare. But Mbappe is ahead of Benzema, Henry, Trezeguet, Anelka, Ribery and so on.
Then when Mbappe transferred to PSG he proved it once more. And then he was more or less player of the tournament at 19 in a world cup. And now this. I've said it before, I for one would not be surprised if he equals Peles 3 world cups. He is that good. Better than Messi for years now although it sacrilegious to say it. And it's very exciting that he also has a rival in Haaland who will push him for 10 years straight, neither can relax.
Give him time and he will be number 1 in every parameter. In ability, yes, if we are counting attackers. Never saw Platini but Zizou was exceptional in a very different role so hard to compare. But Mbappe is ahead of Benzema, Henry, Trezeguet, Anelka, Ribery and so on.
Gosh. Premature is an understatement
It blows my mind that he’s still only 23. It feels like he’s been around forever. He might be an unlikeable player but he’s incredible
Potentially
Yeah me too. I think he's scored something like 250 goal already.
This thread was started by a poster aged 18-22 I reckon
Seconded.
He has the potential to be but not yet. Platini, Zidane and Henry are still way ahead of him at the moment.
No he is not?
Those highlighted reached balon d'or levels of quality, Mbappe is nowhere near...yet.
Two hat tricks in the group stage, winner in the semi final (last minute of ET) and then the opening goal in the final. fecking hell
No and I don't think he ever will be considered that.
I think he could because after this World Cup the team should truly be his. Though his probable sidekick(Dembélé) could reach an other level and contest that.
I think he'll lose his shine earlier than other players due to his pace being such a big asset to him. Unless he reinvented himself later on in his career.
Maybe if football started in 2010.
Is this thread a joke or is OP actually serious?
Ehm no .
Zidane was
Zidane was
Eric was great for united but was never half the player Mbappe is. As for whether Mbappe is the greatest french player of all time it's too early to call but he certainly has both talent and time on his side.
He already has a world cup under his belt which he won whilst still a teenager(and he wasn't a bit part player) and even now at 23 looks to be among the current best players in world football (which Cantona never was at any stage of his career).
He is already performing at roughly the same level that Messi was at the same age so whilst the question is being asked too early, I'm not sure how anyone can say with any certainty that he won't go on to be the greatest french player ever.
Mbappe may not fulfil certain criteria or someone’s criteria to be considered “best french player ever”, but I’m still pretty sure no French players has been a better footballer or performed at a higher level than Mbappe.
Agreed. Quite a lot better I think. He could do everything Mbappe can do, plus he scored amazing goals from all angles and distances.
Does Gabriel Orbetan play golf?
France is a big nations. They’ve had GOATS candidate before. I don’t think he’s top 3 yet, but he’ll surely get there (top 3 at least) when his career is done…
TBF, he's great enough to have the potential to be on that level. But I think it still has a lot of questions.
-Will he move to a different league or circumstance?
-Will he develop himself in some departments to be an even better player at this point( at this point, he's at least a top 3 player in the world)?
-Will he adapt himself like fine wine when his superhuman athleticism and speed decline? Ronaldo and Messi are excellent at this topic. Ronaldo has converted himself to be more of a poacher, and Messi could be operated as more of a creator due to his vision and passing skills.
- We don't know how dominant he will be when he hits his true peak maybe at the age of 24-28 years old( it's coming now).
-His longevity, will he stay at the top for over 10 years( I think he can)?
-injury department, will he face a big injury in the future?
-International tournament(World Cup), I think he has a chance to break Klose's record and even have more than 1 WC. A great question would be, will he singularly dominate international tournaments like Pele, Diego, Platini, or Zidane? I can't tell it, we will know in the future.
At this moment, Mbappe needs to work and do more a lot to be in the conversation with Platini and Zidane level but I would say he has the potential to be at that level. He's a person who controls his destiny.
Thought experiment: what if, hypothetically, France go on to win this WC and Mbappe wins Golden Ball and Golden boot?
He would have been a key player, if not their best overall player, in two WC wins. Would the PSG career pull him down that much that he wouldnt be in discussion?
He really, really needs a move. If people are being honest the knockout stages of CL are a given for PSG and few pay much attention. A majority don’t care who wins week to week in Ligue Un. So that leaves knockout rounds of CL… which means he generally only plays around 6 games a year people actually care about. And even then he’s overshadowed from a publicity standpoint by Neymar and Messi on his own team now. It is just a lose/lose.
He would have been a key player, if not their best overall player, in two WC wins. Would the PSG career pull him down that much that he wouldnt be in discussion?
He really, really needs a move. If people are being honest the knockout stages of CL are a given for PSG and few pay much attention. A majority don’t care who wins week to week in Ligue Un. So that leaves knockout rounds of CL… which means he generally only plays around 6 games a year people actually care about. And even then he’s overshadowed from a publicity standpoint by Neymar and Messi on his own team now. It is just a lose/lose.
Kinda funny to read all these comments about Henry being this semi god that was superior to Mbappé at any level.
Henry scored 50 goals in 112 champions league games.
Mbappé has 40. At 23 years old. In 59 games.
So i'm pretty sure Mbappé can do a couple of things Henry couldn't do.
Oh, also, in these games, Henry gave 22 assists. Mbappé already has 26. At 23 years old. In 59 games.
(I don't think he's the best french player ever though).
Football is more than numbers. Arsenal were never that great in the CL, not as good as PSG.
Henry’s all round game and general play was sensational. Hes the best Premier League player of all time. Top class defenders in the 00s in the PL were genuinely scared of him.
EDIT: I’m Mbappes biggest fan. He’s sensational. Ever since that 16/17 UCL Monaco season I knew he’d be the best.
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These type of discussions are redundant when the player is still active. Much better to discuss when they finally hang up their boots.
Also with Mbappe, it’ll be interesting to see how he adapts or how he plays once he loses a yard of pace.
Also with Mbappe, it’ll be interesting to see how he adapts or how he plays once he loses a yard of pace.
Problem with these statistical comparisons is that they ignore the widened gulf between elite clubs and the rest that has grown massively over the last 20 years. The Arsenal of 99-03 were well off the pace of PSG today, never mind the more competitive club environment that dampened the numbers that strikers could rack up.
As a couple others mentioned, it's Platini -> Zidane -> Henry in the top three. Dunno where Cantona, Kopa, and Papin rank from there.
Also, how high is Blanc, Desailly, Lizarazu, and Thuram rated as all-time French players?
Also, how high is Blanc, Desailly, Lizarazu, and Thuram rated as all-time French players?