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PSG superstar Kylian Mbappe has named the 2021 round of 16 Champions League clash against Barcelona as the game that transformed him as a footballer.
The French international was considered one of the best players in world football even before the game. He had even scored in a victorious World Cup final.
But when asked about the fixture that transformed him completely, Mbappe named the hat-trick he scored against Barcelona at the Camp Nou. The 23-year-old told PSG's official website:
"Barcelona vs PSG in 2021. This was transformation. I think that night I went from a very good player to a really top, top player. We really succeeded in putting our game together that night and I managed to score a hat-trick at the Camp Nou.
"It was really special and I was proud. I was proud because we had to play with a lot of personality. As I always say on UCL nights, we can't hide and on that night, we didn't."
Barcelona took the lead in the clash thanks to a penalty from now-PSG star Lionel Messi. But Kylian Mbappe's incredible hat-trick, coupled with a strike from Moise Kean, gifted the Parisians a 4-1 win in front of an empty stadium.
The French side drew 1-1 in Paris three weeks later to progress to the quarter-finals. They then beat Bayern Munich over two legs before collapsing to a defeat against Manchester City in the last four.
Joe Cole picks PSG superstar Kylian Mbappe over Erling Haaland
With the endless debate regarding Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi now seemingly drawing to an end, Erling Haaland vs Kylian Mbappe could very well become the new hot rivalry.
Both have made incredible starts to the season, with the Frenchman netting nine goals in his first seven appearances. Haaland, meanwhile, has scored 12 times for Manchester City since his summer move from Borussia Dortmund.
When Joe Cole was asked by former England teammate Rio Ferdinand on his FIVE podcast about the two new global superstars, the pundit stated (as per TalkSPORT):
“The next generation, Haaland and Mbappe, the only thing that can stop those two competing is longevity, I can’t see Haaland playing the amount of games."
Cole was also asked who he thinks will have a better career, to which he replied:
“I think Mbappe does. The only reason is because Haaland will score more goals than any of them if he stays fit for a certain amount of games, but Mbappe is more complete."
