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Many agree that Frenchman Kylian Mbappe is the best striker in world football, a man coveted by top teams.

Now 28 years old, he has been outstanding at Monaco, Paris St. Germain (PSG) and now at Spanish giants Real Madrid. He broke the record for the most goals scored by a Real Madrid player in their debut season.

He has revived the fortunes of the   French national team and single-handedly nearly won the last World Cup against Argentina. He left that tournament with the Golden Boot and Silver Ball.

In 2023, he decided not to renew his contract with PSG and signed with Real Madrid on a five-year contract in 2024.

Since he left PSG, the Ligue 1 Champions’ fortunes have soared, winning the Champions League last season.

It is said that some people are irreplaceable, but PSG have become a formidable team without Mbappe who is still in his prime.

Mbappe scored 256 goals for PSG over seven seasons. PSG’s Head Coach, Luis Enrique said of the team’s performance without the talisman: “ I think I was very brave last season to say that I thought we were going to have a better team in attack and defence without Kylian Mbappe. I still think we’re better in attack and defence, the figures are there.

“But I also think that it’s very difficult to say that to a player of Kylian Mbappe’s level and that’s a shame. I said then, and I’ll say it again now. But I think the team and the players took it as a challenge.

“We would have liked to have kept Kylian and the players would have too, because of the affection they had for Kylian. But I think the team is reacting spectacularly. I told you that I’d love it if, instead of one player scoring 40 goals, we had four players scoring 12 goals each. There are already two players who have exceeded that figure and we want others to do so, as it’s our aim to improve as a team.”

Last week Bayern Munich knocked out Real Madrid at the quarter-final stage of the Champions League. Both Kylian Mbappe and Harry Kane scored for their respective teams. Kane has scored 50 goals so far this season for the German champions and some argue he is the world’s top striker. Commentators and footballers point to his football intelligence, his ability to come from deep and link play, his clinical finishing, his unselfishness, his leadership as a team player. He left Tottenham and is now a far better footballer

Some football analysts talk of Mbappe’s selfishness, his inability to bond with the team, his singularity of purpose not exclusively to the benefit of the team.

Former French national team star and Arsenal great, Emannuel Petit also notes Mbappe’s shortcomings.

“His arrival filled the Real Madrid dressing room with selfishness. It’s a fiasco.”

Commenting on PSG going on to become a better team without Mbappe, Petit said: “The timing really works against him. Since PSG have been playing like a team, they have been phenomenal. They are united, like the fingers of a hand.”

Real Madrid have not won a trophy for the last two seasons while PSG won its first i Champions League last season, won Ligue I two years straight and also won the Coupe de France also two years straight. Last year PSG also won the UEFA Super Cup and the FIFA Intercontinental Cup.

“With Bradley Barcola, Ousmane Dembele and Khvicha Kvaratskhelia  leading the attack, PSG have more fluidity and play as a unit with collective commitment.

PSG have already advanced to the semi-finals of the Champions League beating Liverpool in the quarter-finals.

Do you think Mbappe is a playmaker as opposed to a team player?