Kylian Mbappé has often been compared to Pelé in his young career, joining the Brazilian legend as the only other teenager to score in a World Cup final. On Saturday, he nearly scored a goal more reminiscent of Diego Maradona.
Mbappé became the youngest player to score 50 Ligue 1 goals in a 3-0 win for Paris Saint-Germain over Nimes on Saturday. It just took him a little longer because VAR exists in France these days, unlike in Mexico in 1986 when Maradona scored the Hand of God goal against England.
At just 20 years, three months and two days old, Mbappé has already amassed 51 goals and 23 assists in a mere 88 matches.
With his goal today, Kylian Mbappé has become the youngest ever player to reach 50 Ligue 1 goals.
Another. Record. Broken. pic.twitter.com/RUPJNgjQG4— Footy Accumulators (@FootyAccums) February 23, 2019
But things didn’t start well for Mbappé on Saturday.
Perhaps Mbappé watched Javier Hernandez score with his hand for West Ham on Friday, because when a nearly identical scenario unfolded in PSG’s match on Saturday, the young French forward reacted in the exact same way. With the ball from a corner kick ended up at the back post, Mbappé stuck his hand out to knock the ball into the back of the net.
Because France isn’t like England and actually has replay like a legitimate league that cares about getting calls right, VAR correctly disallowed the goal. Mbappé was shown a yellow card and PSG went into halftime with a measly 1-0 lead.
The goal would’ve been Mbappé’s 50th in Ligue 1, equaling Chicharito’s 50 Premier League goals.
But the Frenchman didn’t have to wait too long to hit half-a-hundred.
In the 69th minute, Mbappé capitalized on a nice move down the wing from Juan Bernat, poking home his 50th Ligue 1 goal.
Mbappé then made it 51 in the 89th minute to put the match away, showing off his absurd speed.
Running like a deer in full flight, and never really looking like he reached top speed, Mbappé hurdled down the pitch on a counter attack, taking a pass from Christopher Nkunku (who scored the opener) and slotting the ball home to make it 3-0.
Few players have the combination of speed, technique, composure and finishing to make a goal like that look so easy.
PSG now has an ridiculous plus-63 goal difference and a 17-point lead over second-place Lille, even with a game in hand. And Mbappé has a league-leading 22 goals.
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