No one has ever witnessed a player like Kylian Mbappe before. Over the past few years, the French superstar has consistently proven himself to be one of the most prominent talents in the soccer world. While his name comes up in many debates, this time he fell short in the eyes of his fellow national teammate, who named Lautaro Martinez as the best forward in the world.
Mbappe is in phenomenal form this season, bagging 18 goals and 2 assists in 18 games. Yet, his own countryman snubbed him in favor of Lionel Messi’s Argentinian teammate.
Kylian Mbappe has been surrounded by some of the most interesting talents on his national team. Among them is Inter Milan star Marcus Thuram. The 26-year-old might not have had the chance to enjoy the 2018 World Cup win with Mbappe, but he has played a few friendly games alongside the PSG star. Yet, even after being one of his national teammate, Thuram snubbed Mbappe over his domestic teammate, Lautaro Martinez. In an interview with Sky Sport Italia, he said, “The best striker in the world? Lautaro Martinez, he’s a great champion. He inspires any player who has the chance to play alongside him.”
While Thuram’s words may have brought a smile to Martinez’s face, they must have brought discontent to Mbappe. Notably, Martinez has also been in brilliant form, notching 15 goals and three assists in 19 games. Meanwhile, this isn’t the first time Mbappe has been snubbed by a France teammate. Just hours ago, Antoine Griezmann also did the same while making his ultimate forward team alongside Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo.
Antoine Griezmann recently participated in an interview with ESPN UK, where he was tasked with creating the ‘Ultimate Forward.’ Each skill category required naming a different player. Griezmann selected David Beckham for passing, Sergio Busquets for intelligence, and Cristiano Ronaldo for strength. Notably, Griezmann chose himself for the endurance trait.
Fellow Atletico teammate Koke was recognized for his work rate, Thierry Henry for speed, and Lionel Messi for technique. Additionally, Griezmann added Filippo Inzaghi to the list for his finishing prowess. However, neither Kylian Mbappe nor Erling Haaland found a spot on Griezmann’s list.