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Kylian Mbappe is the hottest property in world football right now and once again underlined his immense ability with a career-defining hat-trick against Barcelona at the Camp Nou.
He burst onto the scene as a pacy teenager at Monaco where he helped the club make their mark in the UEFA Champions League. The teenager also spearheaded his side to the Ligue 1 title in the 2016-17 season.
Since then, the France international has morphed into a bonafide world-class player capable of holding his own against any player in any competition.
Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo's hegemony of personal awards in the last 15 years meant that no other player was significantly mentioned for individual accolades.
But with the iconic duo approaching the twilight years of their careers, attention has turned to who is most likely to take over as the most dominant player in the world.
Neymar is widely regarded as the third-best player of this generation and rightly so. The Brazilian international has made a mark on the biggest stage since making his debut for Santos.
He has gone on to achieve legendary status at Barcelona, Paris Saint-Germain as well as the Brazilian national team. A common subject of discussion in the last few years has been comparisons between Neymar and Kylian Mbappe, with both men having strong support.
While Neymar's ability might not be in doubt, a case can be made to consider Kylian Mbappe the better player.
Here are five reasons why Kylian Mbappe is a better player than Neymar.
#5 Kylian Mbappe has a superior fitness record
In elite-level football, fitness is an integral part of the game. Special care is taken to keep players fit, with focus given to their dietary regimen and training patterns.
However, football's nature as a contact sport means that injuries are still very much a part of the game, with rough tackles and physical play causing fitness problems for players.
Neymar's style of play sees him on the receiving end of a disproportionate number of rough tackles and this has led to several spells on the sidelines.
Since joining PSG in the summer of 2017, the former Santos man has had no fewer than 15 injury problems which have seen him miss over 80 games. Most of these matches came at crucial points in his club's campaign and his poor fitness record meant that he could not play his part for the club.
In stark contrast, Kylian Mbappe has not suffered any serious injuries in his career yet, with his longest spell on the sidelines coming when he was ruled out for a month due to a hamstring injury in 2019.
Mbappe's superior fitness record means he can be counted on to be available when it matters most. Neymar's poor injury track record means the same cannot be said of him, which puts the Frenchman on a higher pedestal.
#4 He is more professional
In addition to Neymar's poor fitness record, he has also been accused of lacking the professionalism required of an elite footballer. The Brazilian possesses the hallmarks of most players from the South American nation, with a penchant for partying, keeping late nights and living life on the fast side.
History has shown us that this has a concordant effect on a player's career, with most of them failing to reach the heights expected of them.
There have been reports of Neymar being indulged by the PSG board, with leeways given for him to pick matches he wants to participate in. He also reportedly vowed to 'keep partying' when accused of immaturity in the past.
The greatest players in the world set themselves apart from their peers with their minute detail to attention. Immense care is also taken to ensure their bodies are in shape for maximum value.
You need to look no further than Cristiano Ronaldo to see the effects of professionalism on a footballer's career. Kylian Mbappe happens to consider the Portugal international his idol and models his game after the Madeira native.
The France international has not been involved in any off-field issues so far in his career and tries to maintain the highest level of professionalism. This significant difference in approach to their careers sets Mbappe out as a player destined for the very highest level of the game.
#3 More defining moments in recent years
Kylian Mbappe and Neymar joined PSG in the summer of 2017 and have each played their role in cementing the club's status as the most dominant French force.
However, in the last four years, Mbappe has had more defining moments than Neymar on the biggest stage.
While Neymar rolled and dived in Russia, Kylian Mbappe proved to be the driving force as France won a second world title.
The then 19-year-old made headlines around the world with his displays at the Mundial. His signature performance came in the final where he scored the last goal to equal Pele's 60-year record of a teenager scoring in the World Cup final.
Neymar's injuries in recent years have seen him lose out on several opportunities to make a statement performance.
The 2019-20 campaign where he inspired PSG to the final of the UEFA Champions League was arguably his only marquee performance in the last four years.
In stark contrast, Mbappe's performances were more defining, with his hat-trick against Barcelona at Camp Nou the latest reminder of his immense ability.
#2 His age gives him an advantage
Neymar turned 29 on 5th February, while Kylian Mbappe turned 22 in December 2020. As Neymar approaches the tail end of his career, his younger teammate ostensibly still has at least a decade of top-level football left in him.
Neymar's poor injury record makes matters worse. Having almost reached the zenith of his career, there is very little margin for improvement in his abilities.
Mbappe, on the other hand, is still very much a 'youngster' who is yet to reach his peak. Having performed at such high levels for so long, it is easy to forget that the World Cup winner still has massive room for improvement.
The 22-year-old is a special talent and if he can continue improving his output, he will undoubtedly become one of the all-time greats.
#1 Kylian Mbappe is arguably more important to PSG
Despite his age, Kylian Mbappe has proven his value to the PSG cause. His immense ability means he has shouldered most of the goalscoring burden at the Parc des Princes.
Neymar's increased absence due to injuries has placed extra responsibility on the Frenchman but he has proven up to the task.
Kylian Mbappe has outscored Neymar in each of the last two seasons and sets the pace as the club's top goalscorer in the current campaign.
The former Monaco man has also played more games than the Brazilian at PSG, having played 40 extra matches since joining the club in 2017. All this points to Mbappe being more important to PSG's cause at the moment than Neymar.
