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Kylian Mbappe is undoubtedly the hottest property in world football right now. The Frenchman only reasserted that fact by scoring a brilliant brace in his last outing against Bayern Munich in the Champions League quarters. He had also single-handedly dragged PSG across the line in a tricky tie against Barcelona in the same competition, with Neymar missing the engagement due to injury.
In 38 appearances this season, Kylian Mbappe has been involved in 41 goals (32 goals, 9 assists), making him the top scorer in Ligue 1 and second in the Champions League. PSG has been in great form, especially in the Champions League, and are one of the favorites to lift the title.
Kylian Mbappe is also all set to play a key role in Euro 2021 for France, who come into this tournament as the reigning World Cup champions.
Ballon d’Or was called off last year due to the COVID-19 pandemic, robbing Robert Lewandowski of a well-deserved win. Besides Euros, the Copa America is also scheduled this year, giving the biggest contenders for the trophy even more games to make their case.
Today, let’s take a look at:
5 things Kylian Mbappe needs to do to win the 2021 Ballon d'Or
#5 Win the Ligue 1 Golden Boot
To win the Ballon D’Or come December, Kylian Mbappe’s first step should be to win the Ligue 1 golden boot. The 22-year-old is currently in pole position with 20 goals to his name. He is also second in the assists chart among his PSG teammates.
Kylian Mbappe has been in scorching-hot goalscoring form, both in Europe and at home, in Ligue 1. In 26 appearances, the Frenchman has an average of 0.92 goals per game, with a goal conversion rate of 31%. Mbappe averages an impressive 10.4 touches in the box per 90 minutes of a Ligue 1 encounter, with a total of 65 attempted shots.
The Golden Boy of world football is certainly going to meet this target, as he enjoys a 5-goal lead over Wissam Ben Yedder, who is secondnd among Ligue 1 top goal-scorers this season.
#4 Win the UEFA Champions League Golden Boot
Next on Kylian Mbappe’s checklist should be to win the UEFA Champions League Golden Boot. It had seemed like Haaland would run away with it, after scoring in six consecutive CL matches in the early going.
But the Frenchman has launched an impressive comeback, scoring 8 goals in his last 4 European outings. Four of them came against Barcelona with a hat-trick in the first-leg - dealing a lethal blow to the former Spanish champions. Haaland is currently leading the charts with 10 goals to his name, with Mbappe a close second with 8 goals.
Much would depend on which of the teams make it to the next round, and this would give Kylian Mbappe a slight edge. Borussia Dortmund face a 2-1 as they host the rampaging Manchester City next week, while PSG will have a 3-2 win to build on at Parc Des Princes against Bayern Munich.
#3 Win Ligue 1 and UEFA Champions League
Individual accolades such as the Ballon d'Or lay great emphasis on domestic and European trophies - made evident by Luka Modric’s win after lifting Real Madrid’s 13th CL title that season, - and Mbappe will target PSG's first this season.
While PSG have been the team to beat in Europe, they have struggled recently in the domestic league. They are currently second with just 7 games to go - something unheard of in recent years - three points behind league toppers Lille. What further adds insult to injury is that the Parisians themselves handed Lille the advantage - after a 1-0 home defeat. PSG's star striker Mbappe hasn't found it smooth sailing in France lately - possibly owing to his club putting maximum focus on the CL trophy. However, a lot can still happen over seven games, and you would expect the sheer class of Mbappe & Co. to shine through in the last few miles of Ligue 1.
Following Manchester City and Chelsea, PSG are the bookie’s favorites to lift Europe’s most prestigious competition. However, they should probably be higher up, if recent CL fixtures are anything to go by. Bayern will still be tough to beat, albeit at PSG’s home ground. If the Parisians go through to the semis, they will face further tests from the aforementioned clubs and either of seasoned CL campaigners - Real Madrid and Liverpool.
For Mbappe to stand a solid chance of lifting the Ballon d’Or, he must win at least one, or preferably both these tournaments.
#2 Win the Golden Ball/Boot at Euro 2021
While Madrid’s La Decimotercera was a crucial ingredient in Modric’s Ballon d’Or, Croatia’s dream run to their first-ever World Cup finals also helped Modric win football’s highest individual accolade.
The Croatian played a massive role in helping his country reach their first World Cup final, and Mbappe will have a chance to do something similar with France at the upcoming Euros. Modric notched up 2 goals and an assist in the World Cup summer, earning him the Golden Ball. The Frenchman will be looking to replicate, or better the Croat, in the upcoming Euros. Europe is home to some of the best strikers in world football. Lewandowski, Ronaldo, Lukaku, and Kane, to name a few.
Mbappe will undoubtedly face a tough challenge in ticking this box on the checklist. However, with world-class operators like Griezmann, Coman, Dembele, and Kante in the French side, the 22-year-old will have good assistance in his pursuit of a Golden Ball or a Golden Boot.
#1 Win Euro 2021
This will probably be on top of Mbappe’s wishlist this season irrespective of individual accolades. After winning the World Cup with France in 2018, Mbappe & Co. will be on the hunt for the double when they kick off their campaign against Germany on 15th June, at Munich.
While France will come in as one of the favorites to lift the Euros, they will face some tough adversaries in Portugal, Germany, England, Spain and Belgium, to name just a few. Southgate’s England is spoilt for options, especially in the middle of the park, and will be eyeing their first-ever European trophy. Portugal are the defending champions and have produced some of the finest players in recent years. Packed with elite talents such as Ronaldo, Bernardo Silva, Bruno Fernandes and Joao Felix, Portugal will be putting in a strong title defense. Spain has won the joint-highest European titles (3) and will mount a formidable challenge along with Belgium, Italy, and the Netherlands.
Packed with world-class players of their own across the park, including Mbappe, France will be hoping to triumph over Europe’s biggest footballing nations. If Mbappe can win Europe’s premier club and international trophy in the same season, it will be hard to deny him his first Ballon'd'Or.
