Mbappé on the front page of TIME
In its 'Next Generation Leaders' edition, TIME puts the spotlight on Paris Saint-Germain forward Kylian Mbappé.
"His breathtaking football talents have earned him global recognition in just a few months." Just like everyone else, TIME has been highly impressed by the Paris number 7's progress, and puts the French world champion alongside British cello prodigy Sheku Kanneh-Mason, young American biologist Christine Figgener, and BTS, the K-pop group.
It's a selection that goes well beyond the boundaries of football. "For a lot of French people, Mbappé is more than just an extraordinary footballer," writes the journalist Vivienne Walt. Despite that, the Paris forward still has his feet on the ground. "I have learned that the biggest stars and the greatest players are the most humble, those who respect people the most. You always have to keep a certain degree of clear-headedness. There are three criteria: respect, humility and clarity of thought."
If the striker happily admits his life has been "completely turned upside down", he also admits to being "happy" and living a life "which I have always dreamed of". It's the words of a mature young man who is growing up very very fast. "My mother has always told me to become a great player, you must first becomes great man." Strong words from the young man from the Paris suburbs that you can find in TIME.
.@KMbappe's soccer skills catapulted him to superstardom at the 2018 World Cup. But he is staying grounded https://t.co/Sj6bRQQ2kk
— TIME (@TIME) October 10, 2018