Kylian Mbappe caused a debate when he placed himself in the top 5 World Cup legends, ranking above his predecessor Michel Platini.
Kylian Mbappe is currently focusing on the 2026 World Cup with the French national team, but a small social media challenge has made the Real Madrid striker the center of attention.
In a video widely shared on social media, Mbappe was asked to build a ranking of the six greatest legends in World Cup history. The list he provided quickly generated a lot of debate within the fan community.
Unsurprisingly, Pele was chosen by Mbappe for the number one spot. The French forward mentioned the Brazilian legend’s three World Cup championships in 1958, 1962, and 1970 as the reason for placing him above the rest.
Lionel Messi ranked second in Mbappe’s list. The 2022 World Cup champion was selected by the French striker almost instantly. Behind Messi is Diego Maradona, who led Argentina to the world championship in 1986 with one of the best individual performances in the tournament’s history.
Fourth place went to Zinedine Zidane, a legend of French football and the man who led “Les Bleus” to the 1998 World Cup title on home soil.
The most striking detail lies in the final two positions. Mbappe placed his own name in fifth place, meaning he ranked himself above Michel Platini, one of the greatest monuments in the history of French football. Mbappe’s ranking consists of: Pele, Messi, Maradona, Zidane, Mbappe, and Platini.
Despite being controversial, this choice also reflects his confidence in the status he has built wearing the French national team shirt. At the age of 27, he already possesses a World Cup championship in 2018, a runner-up medal in 2022, along with 12 goals at the biggest football festival on the planet.
