Kylian Mbappé was only 7 years old when Nike knocked on his parents’ door and gave him his first sponsorship contract. His name was trademarked worldwide before he’d won his first cap for France. Every move, every decision was calculated from the outset.
As Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo approach the end of their careers, one man is primed to take their place at the very top of the game. Kylian Mbappé, the 2026 World Cup Golden Boot winner, who went on to surpass Messi and become the overall World Cup goalscorer.
Yes, Mbappé is a generational talent, and an exceptionally smart individual who looks as much at ease at the Elysée Palace as on the pitch. But what truly sets him apart is that he is not just a sportsman: he is a project.
PRAISE FOR PHILIPPE AUCLAIR
Cantona: The Rebel Who Would Be King
‘A tour de force… at one elegant and exhaustive… This is a book about an outstandingly gifted footballer by an outstandingly accomplished journalist, who English puts most native writers to shame’ – Brian Glanville
‘With this book Auclair announces himself as an outstandingly gifted biographer… A truly great book’ – GQ
Thierry Henry: Lonely At The Top
‘Superb… a thoroughly recommended book’ – James Olley, Evening Standard
‘Illuminated by finely tuned phrases and vivid insights’ – Richard Williams, Guardian Sports Book of the Year
As Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo approach the end of their careers, one man is primed to take their place at the very top of the game. Kylian Mbappé, the 2026 World Cup Golden Boot winner, who went on to surpass Messi and become the overall World Cup goalscorer.
Yes, Mbappé is a generational talent, and an exceptionally smart individual who looks as much at ease at the Elysée Palace as on the pitch. But what truly sets him apart is that he is not just a sportsman: he is a project.
PRAISE FOR PHILIPPE AUCLAIR
Cantona: The Rebel Who Would Be King
‘A tour de force… at one elegant and exhaustive… This is a book about an outstandingly gifted footballer by an outstandingly accomplished journalist, who English puts most native writers to shame’ – Brian Glanville
‘With this book Auclair announces himself as an outstandingly gifted biographer… A truly great book’ – GQ
Thierry Henry: Lonely At The Top
‘Superb… a thoroughly recommended book’ – James Olley, Evening Standard
‘Illuminated by finely tuned phrases and vivid insights’ – Richard Williams, Guardian Sports Book of the Year