As the 2026 FIFA World Cup approaches, another star player that is coming to the Meadowlands this summer is being put in the spotlight. The next player that is being brought into the limelight is Kylian Mbappé, a forward for France.
Mbappé is one of the most notable players in the tournament and is widely regarded as one of the world’s best players. He currently serves as the captain of France’s international squad and has set numerous records in the FIFA World Cup throughout his young and historic career.
Mbappé’s talents were apparent from an early age, as he joined the youth academy of Monaco at the age of 14, signing a three-year contract despite interest from Real Madrid. Mbappé made his debut for Monaco’s professional team at the age of 16 years and 347 days, becoming the team’s youngest player in club history. In 2017, Mbappé further distanced himself from the crowd, playing a crucial role in Monaco’s Champions League run, scoring in the round of 16, semi-finals and quarterfinals.
Soon after, in August 2017, Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) signed Mbappé on a loan from Monaco with a mandatory purchase option of €180 million, displaying the value he brought to any team. After joining PSG, his career reached new levels, as he emerged as one of the world’s best players in the sport. During his tenure, PSG won six Ligue 1 titles and four Coupe de Frances, the domestic cup football competition in France.
In 2021, Mbappé tallied his 100th goal with the club, becoming the youngest player to record 100 goals for a single team in Ligue 1, France’s highest level of soccer. He wouldn’t stop there, finishing with 256 goals for the club before his departure in 2024, leaving him as the top goalscorer in club history by a significant margin. Mbappé also finished his career at PSG with 96 goals, ranking third in club history.
Despite his historic run with PSG, he joined Real Madrid in June 2024, where he has remained for the past year. In his first season with the club, Mbappé broke the record for most goals in a debut season with the club.
Mbappé’s impressive club career highlights translated directly into his international career, where he has become one of France’s most iconic players. He joined the team for the first time in 2017 and was called up to play for the team in the 2018 FIFA World Cup in May 2018. Mbappé scored his first goal roughly a month later in a group stage match against Peru, becoming the youngest goalscorer in the team’s history. He continued to score, recording two goals in a round of 16 match against Argentina and a goal in the biggest game of his career, the 2018 FIFA World Cup final. France went on to win the 2018 FIFA World Cup, making Mbappé a world champion by the age of 19.
Four years later, France was eager to claim their second consecutive FIFA World Cup title and Mbappé had more experience to help him now. France made it all the way back to the FIFA World Cup final, where the team took on Lionel Messi and Argentina. Despite Mbappé becoming the second player in tournament history to score a hat trick in the final match, his efforts were not enough, as France lost on penalties.
France is currently ranked as the third best team in the world and is looking to return to its third consecutive FIFA World Cup final. Mbappé, who serves as the captain of the team, will have an integral role in the team during the tournament as he looks to avenge his historic performance in the 2022 FIFA World Cup that fell just short.
Mbappé and France will be coming to MetLife Stadium on Tuesday, June 16 at 3 p.m. to face off against Senegal. If the team returns to its third consecutive final, it will be the Meadowlands welcoming them back.