Kylian Mbappé has this singular art of normalizing the extraordinary, of trivializing the exceptional.
A sumptuous skylight, a converted penalty, a decisive pass and two penultimate assists leading to a goal: against South Africa (5-0), Tuesday in Lille, he splashed the game with his insolent talent.
Along the way, he added some memorable stats to an already lavish resume.
In detail, he signed the second best total of balls touched in the opposing area in the same match, behind… himself, against Kazakhstan (21), a match where he had scored, on November 13, 2021, a quadruple in the part of the 2022 World Cup qualifiers (8-0).
His twelve shots on goal against Bafana Bafana represent a record in a match for a player since Opta analyzes the meetings of the Blues (2006), he also equaled the record for shots on target (6).
The genius of Bondy also becomes the first player in the history of the Habs to distill at least one assist in five games in a row.
He is also the first in the 21st century to be involved in at least two goals in each of the last five meetings.
Ahead of the passing times of its elders
He also equaled Karim Benzema's streak of five consecutive games by scoring for the France team.
The Real Madrid star, forfeited for this rally due to a left calf injury, had accomplished such a feat between France-Ukraine on November 19, 2013 and Switzerland-France on June 20, 2014 (seven goals).
Mbappé is eight in this same interval (Belgium, Spain, Kazakhstan, Finland and South Africa).
Ongoing series.
He also brought his total goals to 26 in 54 caps and feels able to go after Thierry Henry's record (51).
“Of course I always wanted to be the first everywhere, in the French team as in the club, he confided after the match at the microphone of TF1.
There is still a long way to go because, what Titi did, nobody did.
I think I can get there much faster than you think.
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At 23 years, 3 months and 9 days, he is, in any case, ahead of the times of all top scorers in the history of the Blues.
With 26 achievements, therefore, he is in 11th place in the French rankings tied with Sylvain Wiltord.
At the same age, Karim Benzema had just signed for Real Madrid and had "only" scored 11 goals in 32 caps.
Griezmann discovered the France group with a first match against the Netherlands and had not yet unlocked his counter.
Olivier Giroud did not participate in any match with the Blues before his 25th birthday.
Launched in 1997 in the team of Aimé Jacquet, Thierry Henry posted barely eight goals and only one assist in 25 selections (Mbappé gave 21 offerings).
Fourth best scorer in the selection with 41 pawns in 72 appearances, the legend Michel Platini had a transition time of ten goals in his 23 springs!