Kylian Mbappé's season under the microscope

The one and only player in history to be top scorer and assists leader in Ligue 1 in the same season, the Paris Saint-Germain striker has made the record books go wild. A great opportunity for us to dissect his season statistics!

 

It would seem almost simplistic to sum up Kylian Mbappé's season solely in terms of statistics, given the dizzying nature of his influence on Paris Saint-Germain's results and his visual impact on the retina. But it is also unavoidable, given that he racks up records almost as quickly as he can sprint, and so we now take the time to analyse what our prodigious hitman does better than anyone else.

Kylian's is first and foremost a story of flair, technical brilliance, finding space and finding the back of the net. Since joining the capital club in 2017, the French international has shattered defences and broken all records relating to precocity.

From his first season with 21 goals to the fifth campaign he has just completed, the striker has scored no fewer than 171 goals in the Rouge et Bleu shirt, earning the status of second-highest scorer in the history of the capital club.

 

 

And this season, the No.7 has once again had the pedal to the metal. With 3,908 minutes played in all competitions, it was his busiest season so far, but that simply served to give him more opportunities to do his thing. With no fewer than 39 goals scored and 21 assists cooked up for his teammates, Kylian proved decisive 60 times in 46 matches with Paris... An absolute record on a personal level. But also a record in continental terms, since no other player in Europe outdid the Boy from Bondy over the course of the season.

And outside of domestic competition, Mbappé has also shone brightly this season. He scored six goals and provided four assists in the Champions League, proving decisive every 67 minutes in the prestigious competition.

But Mbappé doesn't seem content with hitting these highs - he wants to stay there, and has done so with an almost disconcerting longevity since his arrival in France's top flight.

 

Mbappé has above all redoubled his efforts on maintaining continuous control, since the young striker has just been crowned top scorer in Ligue 1 for the fourth consecutive season. Such a feat had not been achieved in France for over 30 years, and even then, only two other players have managed to reach it in history: Carlos Bianchi (four times from 1975 to 1979) and Jean Pierre Papin (five times from 1988 to 1992).

 

And if we look a little more closely at his goals? First of all, out of his 28 goals scored, we can note his penchant for the right foot (18 goals) but also his being prepared to use his 'weaker' left boot without batting an eyelid (seven goals). As for his attacking partners, the trio formed with Leo Messi and Neymar Jr. is noteworthy, since the Argentine has provided him with no fewer than seven assists this season, while the Brazilian has provided four.

In Ligue 1, Wijnaldum and Hakimi are also among Kylian's top three assist providers!

In the end, between his eighth opening goal in a Ligue 1 match this season, Messi's assist and Kylian's beautiful hat-trick against Metz - scored with both feet - the final match of the league season was only a demonstration of the range of talent offered by the prodigy.

And this season, Kylian has not only been goal taker, but also goal maker, with no fewer than 21 assists in all competitions!

The shift has been as subtle as it has been logical, but over the past few seasons, Kylian Mbappé has developed his game in ways clearly proven by the numbers he has racked up since last September.

 

Well accompanied by forwards with glittering resumes, the No.7 managed to maintain his level of consistency in front of goal, while refining his mastery of the assist. He has even become unpredictable, finishing the season as Ligue 1's assist leader with no fewer than 17 assists, just one shy of the all-time Ligue 1 record held by Angel Di Maria (18).

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The fact remains that with both the title of top scorer and assist leader in the league, Mbappé has unlocked a double honour unheard of in the history of French football, and added a new line in his own personal record book.

It's always the same story: the stats prove the visual impression left by the attacking trio in the latter stages of the season.

 

In addition to getting on the end of Neymar Jr's and Leo Messi's assists, Kylian Mbappé is also one of their favourite goal-makers this season. In fact, in Ligue 1 alone, five of his assists were for the Brazilian and four for the Argentine.

So what can we learn from this statistical look at Kylian Mbappé?

In Ligue 1, of course, it is difficult to find a point of comparison, as his performances are still unprecedented.

And what about the rest of the continent?

Here again, his performances in the league stand out, as he was directly involved in 45 goals in Ligue 1, giving him the record for the season among the five major leagues.

So yes, for the past five years, his talent, drive and killer instinct has been giving French defences torrid time. Yes, Kylian is committed to breaking every record and winning all the headlines. But the adventure is far from over, and the striker still has room to grow.

And that's just as well, because he has signed on for three more seasons with the capital club, which should make the City of Light shine a little brighter...