#4 Kylian Mbappe
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The player that is exciting French and AS Monaco fans all over is their latest prodigy, Kylian Mbappe. Like Locatelli, last year was the year that the 18-year-old broke through into AS Monaco’s first team and has been regularly involved in their season so far.
Hailing from a football background, Mbappe started in the youth academy of AS Bondy, before having a stint at one of the most famous institutions, Clairefontaine. The Cameroon native was sought after by a host of clubs including Real Madrid, but he chose the Principality of Monaco as his destination and stepping stone to achieving his goals. Roughly 13 months ago, at the age of 16 years and 347 days, he broke Thierry Henry’s record of being the youngest player to appear for AS Monaco.
Two months later, he broke another of the French legend’s records becoming the youngest goalscorer in the club’s history. Playing for the French U-19 squad in the European Championships, Mbappe scored five goals on the way to the title, which included practically single-handedly carrying France past Portugal in the semi-finals.
Now a part of AS Monaco’s first team, Mbappe has played in 11 games so far in the league, 1 in the French Cup and 25 minutes over three appearances in the Champions League. In the time he’s been on the pitch this season, the youngster has breached the opposition net six times, including a hat-trick in the cup and more impressively, laid on six assists as well.
The centre-forward, capable of playing on the wings as well, is a genuine threat in front of goal possessing an abundance of pace and dribbling skills while also being two-footed. His relatively unknown qualities are his exceptional passing, unselfishness and vision, as can be seen by his assists this season.
As goes with all talented youngsters, he has been heavily scouted by the bigger European clubs but for now, Mbappe is a superstar in the making and the next year will see him settle into the first team and setting the pitch alight.
