Kylian Mbappe and Thierry Henry share striking similarity

France's Kylian Mbappe celebrates after scoring the third goal against Argentina. Picture: Franck Fife/AFP/Getty Images

Mbappe wants to replicate another one of Henry’s accomplishments – a World Cup title for France in his first global tournament.

Henry, 40, is France’s leading scorer with 51 goals, the 19-year-old Mbappe is Les Bleus’ new sensation, with three, matching Henry’s total from 1998 and 2006.

If Mbappe scores again when France play Uruguay in today’s quarter-final, he would become the first Frenchman since 1958 to score four at a World Cup since Just Fontaine’s record 13 over six games in 1958 .

Henry and Mbappe both share the electric pace Fontaine had, but with a far more rounded game than their illustrious predecessor.

“I don’t really like to compare players from different generations, but they have a similar profile with their speed and ability to beat players,” said France coach Didier Deschamps, captain of the 1998 champions.

“I can only wish Kylian the same career as Thierry.”

Deschamps said that after Mbappe’s debut in a qualifier in Luxembourg in March 2017. He already was hailing Mbappe’s maturity.

“His biggest strength is his composure when he’s through on the goalkeeper,” Deschamps, pictured right, said. “That’s very rare at his age, and it’s why he’s so efficient.”

Mbappe showed that in the 4-3 win against Argentina last Saturday, scoring two clinical second-half goals after earning a first-half penalty with an astonishing run from deep inside his own half. Mbappe stole the spotlight from five-time Fifa Player of the Year Lionel Messi, and he emerged as a candidate to join Neymar in the conversation over who is the world’s best player after Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo move on.

Mbappe has played as a wide forward and as a central striker for both France and Paris Saint-Germain, joining from Monaco last year in a deal worth €180 million (£160m). Playing alongside Neymar and Edinson Cavani in a star-studded attack, he helped PSG win all three domestic titles.

Like Henry, Mbappe grew up in a Paris suburb: Mbappe in Bondy, Henry in Les Ulis. Mbappe has been active in the community and he says he will donate his World Cup earnings to a charity that organises sports for children with disabilities.

Mbappe scored six goals in his first 19 international games and Henry seven: three at the 1998 World Cup and two when France won the European Championship in 2000.

Henry’s professional career was launched in 1994 by Monaco coach Arsene Wenger, who brought him to Arsenal from Italian side Juventus five years later. Henry scored at least 20 league goals in six consecutive seasons for Arsenal, and a club record 228 in all competitions for the Gunners.

Wenger moved Henry to Monaco’s first team after he scored more than 40 goals for the under-17 team in one year.

“Henry already had a great attitude. He was already mature and didn’t need anyone to control him,” recalls former Monaco youth coach Paul Pietri. “He crushed  everyone with his physique, his strength. He could carry the attack all by himself, he could do everything.”  A 76-year-old Corsican now in retirement after nearly 30 years on Monaco’s staff, Pietri recalled exactly when Henry’s “natural class” first stood out.

“We went to a tournament in Italy, which we always did at the start of the year,” Pietri said. “We beat Lazio 5-3, with three goals from Henry. Then we drew 3-3 against AC Milan, with three goals from Henry. I told myself ‘This lad can play with the pros.’ Wenger took him.”

But Pietri adds a note of caution when predicting Mbappe’s future. “What we need to see is if Mbappe lasts 15 years,” Pietri said. “You shouldn’t  forget Henry is Arsenal’s  leading scorer, the best they ever had.”