Kylian Mbappé is going for Euro 2024: the generational heir who will not give up until winning it all

Kylian Mbappé is going for Euro 2024: the generational heir who will not give up until he wins it all Sometimes it is difficult for us to understand Kylian Mbappé. This is the case for fans on this side of the planet because the image of Pelé being lifted by Jairzinho in Mexico 1970, or Diego Armando Maradona surpassing the English Shilton in the air - with his hand - are familiar covers of the football history in our region. Both portraits could not have been immortalized in any competition other than a World Cup. It is not surprising, then, that when the 25-year-old Frenchman asserts that the Euros are a more complicated tournament for him than a World Cup, there are those who do not hesitate to criticize him. Speculations arise that slide between annoyance and reprimand, especially when it is remembered that just before the 2022 World Cup in Qatar, the 'Ninja Turtle' stated that "football in South America is not as advanced as in Europe". Justified or not, the hype that is generated every time the forward faces the microphones has an unnoticed facet. Beyond the fact that it is normal for him not to stay up until the early hours to watch the Copa Libertadores, this exaggeration, the possibility that we all might be wrong, finds its reason in the fact that the South American fan often forgets that the gold medal of world champion has been shining in the Frenchman's trophy cabinet for almost six years now; the silver medal, with three goals of his own in the final, does not quite fill him with pride; and because - there is no doubt - Kylian Mbappé is determined to win it all. This is not a whimsical interpretation or the wishful thinking of a social media enthusiast. Just a few weeks ago, the new signing for Real Madrid pointed towards Euro 2024 and his new club, acknowledging his victories but stating that they have not yet secured him a lasting legacy in football. "I have achieved many things, but I am still young and I want to do more because I want, as I have already said, for my name to be remembered in the history of football. So, there is much to be done and it is not enough now," he confessed to CNN's Amanda Davies about his future. The son of Cameroonian of Nigerian descent Wilfried Mbappé Lottin, who arrived in Europe as a refugee, and Algerian Fayza Lamari, Kylian grew up in the marginalized neighborhood of Bondy, 25 kilometers northeast of Paris. Although it is a conflictive and poor area, it is now more visible due to the famous aura that surrounds places where rock stars, actors, or, in this case, footballers come from. L'Équipe reports that the young boy would tell his family, schoolmates, and teachers that he would become the best player in existence; a time when he also had a Facebook account under the name Kylian Robinho Gaucho, where he questioned Lionel Messi, who would later become his teammate at Paris Saint-Germain (PSG), and idolized Cristiano Ronaldo. 'Kiki's' family has always been closely tied to sports. His father was a football coach at A.S. Bondy, a club where his mother played handball. As expected, young Kylian was trained in that team until, at the age of fourteen (2013), he made the leap to the youth ranks of A.S. Monaco. After his debut at the end of 2015, everything went uphill for him, as he became champion of Ligue 1 in the following season (2016-2017), drawing attention from European giants for his power, speed, dribbling, and goal-scoring ability. Represented by his mother, a lawyer and businesswoman, PSG emerged victorious from the competition with a total of 180 million euros on the table, beating Real Madrid in the bidding war. Much has been said about that ostentatious transfer, although the player himself has indicated that he did not want to be too far from his family and felt a duty to contribute to the growth of Ligue 1. It was in 2018 that the football milestone occurred, granting the left winger a place where some idols of the era suffered a crucible: becoming a world champion. In Russia, it was a goal from Mbappé that crushed the hopes of the Peruvian national team to reach the round of 16 of the tournament. In that same stage, the attacker scored a brace in the victory of 'Les Bleus' against Argentina (4-3). And as if that were not enough, he also scored in the final against Croatia (4-1). Winning that glory at just 19 years old only enhanced the Parisian's stature. Almost immediately, he was placed in the select group of young players expected to take over from Cristiano Ronaldo, who had always been denied the most important football accolade, and Lionel Messi, who ironically achieved it by defeating Ronaldo (Qatar 2022), scoring a hat-trick in what experts agree was the most thrilling final of all time (3-3). The ultimate generational heir. The combination of these incidents, none of them a product of chance, is perhaps the secret to why, with his 1.78 meters in height, Kylian Mbappé seems larger and faster than any defender or midfielder on the field. The future has developed his leadership skills, brought him goals and titles in Ligue 1 and the French Cup, although the Champions League and the Euros still loom as pending objectives. Without the burden of having to prove anything to anyone and in the absence of images of his stature in the French national team, 'Donatello's' growth is not only marked by his obsession to outplay every opponent he encounters on the field or to score as many goals as possible. "When we talk about a player, it is not just about his goals, not just about his trophies. It is also about what you generate in people, the emotions, and how you can be a complete player, how you help your teammates to be better. If I scored 42 goals and next year I score 43, does that make me better? No, it is more than that, and that is why I want to understand the game better, the world of football, and gain experience," he told CNN last May, despite being accused by some of being egotistical and selfish. Another aspect that sets him apart is his connection to current events, something that distinguishes him from a large number of athletes and entertainment icons. Just as there should be no doubt that football is inherently political, there should also be no doubt that knowledge and courage are required to speak about society and its issues. And here, Mbappé excels, because it is never easier to spot those who truly shine than when many influential figures hide. Just hours before his national team's debut in Euro 2024, the forward showcased his ability to read the situation by taking a stand against the far-right party led by Marine Le Pen (National Rally), urging young French people to vote in the upcoming legislative elections. In tune with his teammate Marcus Thuram (son of World Cup champion Lilian Thuram), who had stated that "we must fight to prevent the National Rally from winning", Kylian made a call to awareness for a political situation he described as "unprecedented". "The Euro is important in our careers, but we are citizens and we are not disconnected from what is happening in our country [...] I am against extremes, they divide. There are young people who abstain from voting, but their voice does change things. I want to be proud to defend a country that represents my values. This is more important than tomorrow's match because the country's situation is different. I believe in the values of diversity, tolerance, and respect [...] I hope we choose well and I hope we are still proud to wear this jersey on July 7 (the day of the runoff)," Mbappé told the press, sparking a new media frenzy. Nothing to which his followers and critics are not accustomed. With gestures seemingly closer to maturity than to mischief, except for his remarks about South American football, questions about the political 'Kiki' or his role at Real Madrid can wait. For now, he faces Euro 2024 with a focus on ending his national team's drought in the tournament, which they have not won since the 2000 edition in Belgium and the Netherlands. Mike Maignan, Eduardo Camavinga, and Antoine Griezmann are key names for France to once again aim for a continental trophy under the guidance of Didier Deschamps and the leadership of the striker. Who knows. In sporting terms, we may never fully understand him, but perhaps for Kylian Mbappé, the cover of the historical book of European football does not necessarily have to feature a photo of him lifting the World Cup. Because beyond the antipathy or deep admiration that his figure instills in these parts of the globe, if there is one thing we can agree on, it is that the best of him is yet to come.