• Superstars Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo were both knocked out of the World Cup in the first round of the knockout stage, possibly leaving the tournament for the final times in their careers.
  • In their absence, 19-year-old French wunderkind Kylian Mbappe has shown he’s ready to take on the role of superstar, announcing his arrival with a stunning two-goal performance against Argentina.
  • Between Mbappe’s speed, power, and room for growth, his play looks like a precursor to even more great things to come in his club and international careers – we could be witnessing the start of yet another generational talent.

On the very first day of the knockout round of the 2018 World Cup, the hopes of the two best football players on the planet were extinguished just hours apart. Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo have reigned supreme over the world’s most popular sport for close to a decade now, and both fell short.

But as their World Cup stories came to a close, that of France’s Kylian Mbappe came into focus and captured the attention of any fan wondering which player would be the next worldwide soccer phenomenon.

At just 19 years old, Mbappe is far from a finished product, but on the pitch, he shows wisdom beyond his years and an ability that can overwhelm opponents far his senior. With dizzying speed, a blistering shot, and an otherworldly knack for finding himself in the right place at the right time when the ball comes his way, Mbappe is ready to take over the World Cup.

Through the group stage of the World Cup, France was a bit of a disappointment. Les Bleus got the results they needed to advance, but were far from compelling and looked like a team trying to find itself. With an array of talent comparable to any in the field, what France lacked was a centerpiece – a player operating as a spiritual guide to the team’s style and progress through the tournament.

It's the role Neymar plays for Brazil - a figurehead of sorts who can see which way the winds are turning and adjust his team's sails as necessary.

Playing against Messi and Argentina, Mbappe rose to the occasion in one of the most stunning teenage performances the World Cup has ever seen.

Mbappe's takeover began early in the match, intercepting a ball in the defensive third and rushing it up the field into Argentina's box with breakneck speed before being taken down by a defender. The play drew a penalty kick, which Antoine Griezmann finished from the spot to give France an early 1-0 lead.

From there, Mbappe would assert his dominance more directly.

In the second half with the score knotted 2-2, Mbappe claimed a loose ball amidst the chaos of the box, controlled it, played it to himself, and sent home the go-ahead goal in the 64th minute.

Then, just three minutes later, Mbappe would make a run into space alongside Olivier Giroud, striking a one-timer without breaking stride to send home his second goal of the match and give France a 4-2 lead.

What's so thrilling about Mbappe's dominant performance here is that it would be astounding coming from a 23-year-old or even a 27-year-old. Instead, at just 19, Mbappe found his role in a team in need of direction and now looks like he could be the future of French soccer for decades to come.

Mbappe was already known for his youthful prowess, playing club ball with Monaco and later making headlines as the most expensive teenager ever with his transfer to Paris Saint-Germain. Now, with his performance thus far at the World Cup, Mbappe has further announced himself as a coming force in the football world - a player with already dominant skills and still plenty of room to improve.

Coming into this World Cup, many American fans were excited to follow U.S. wunderkind Christian Pulisic as he made his tournament debut. When the USMNT fell short, attention went to those players that have captured the minds and imaginations of soccer fans for close to a decade - Ronaldo and Messi.

Now, it's Mbappe's turn, and with the world watching, it looks as though he's ready to make his statement.

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