Mbappe won by an overwhelming 291 votes, almost double the score Ousmane Dembele got (149). Rashford came third, Manchester City striker Gabriel Jesus finished the race fourth whereas it is AC Milan goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma who completes the top 5.
Recognition
Mbappe’s 2017 Golden Boy victory means France now has most winners of this admired award than any other nation – thanks to Paul Pogba (2013) and Anthony Martial (2015) – and few would argue this year’s choice was an undeserved one.
The Golden Boy award winner was determined according to various aspects but it’s fair to say Mbappe ticked most of the boxes to scoop it ahead of the competition in the end.
Youth perhaps should not be a determining factor but the fact 18-year-old boy is playing on par or even better than players years his senior is impressive in its own merit. Produced by the same club as the French icon Thierry Henry he keeps getting compared to, Kylian Mbappe is not long way off from replicating the iconic Arsenal forward’s career.
Kylian Mbappe’s is following Henry’s similarly impressive rapid growth rate, whereas it is their physical similarities that underline the biggest part of the comparison. The PSG starlet boasts same speed, skill set, grace in movement and a touch of brilliance with his finish that it’s almost impossible not to see a bit of Thierry Henry in him.
In addition to being technically talented, Kylian Mbappe is also an intelligent player too which once again makes likeliness to Thierry Henry a natural one.
AS Monaco immediately knew it would be difficult to hold on to Mbappe for much long given the fact his flying form and imposing qualities alarmed the host of Europe’s biggest clubs.
Bright Future
Paris Saint-Germain knew exactly what needed to be done and were quick to offer an irresistible offer both for the club and the player to secure Mbappe’s signature on a loan deal with an option to buy which would make him the world’s second most expensive player behind another PSG star Neymar.
PSG have invested in their own future. They copied the Barcelona model and formed a partnership that is likely to last for a long time and – hopefully – bring results in this year already.
Four points ahead of last season’s champions AS Monaco, Paris Saint-Germain are main favourites to lift the Ligue 1 title this season. Bookmakers see Paris Saint-Germain as 1/25 frontrunners to lift the domestic trophy, whereas the biggest value lies in betting on the Parisians to achieve Champions League glory.
The European trophy has eluded Paris Saint-Germain for a while but after a strong start in Europe’s elite competition PSG now stands neck-to-neck with reigning champions Real Madrid at to claim the European throne.
And if Kylian Mbappe continues his flying run of form, few would argue that PSG can’t do it.
