The Football Analyst In modern football, few names shine as brightly as Kylian Mbappé. With electrifying pace, exquisite skill, and a penchant for goal-scoring, Mbappé has captivated audiences worldwide and cemented his status as one of the game’s brightest talents. This individual analysis dissects the playing style and tactical details of the Paris Saint-Germain and French national team sensation. From analyzing his dribbling prowess to his decision-making in front of goal, we aim to unravel the intricate layers of Mbappé’s game that make him a force to be reckoned with on the pitch. Join us as we delve into the essence of Kylian Mbappé’s footballing brilliance.
Striker
Kylian Mbappé often plays as a striker. His greatness as a striker stems from a rare combination of exceptional speed, clinical finishing, and unparalleled technique. His ability to exploit defensive lines with explosive bursts of acceleration makes him a constant threat in behind. Mbappe´s knack for scoring crucial goals in high-stakes matches further solidifies his status as one of the most outstanding strikers in contemporary football.
Link-up Play
When playing as a striker, Mbappé is essential for PSG‘s build-up and is often used as the third man, connecting passes from the backline to the midfield. The defenders or holding midfielders will break the opposition lines with passes up to Mbappé, who gives it back to forward-facing midfielders, who can take the ball and attack the backline. Mbappé’s strength and technique make him a great link-up player in PSG’s system.
Winger
Kylian Mbappé also plays as a winger sometimes. His greatness as a winger is unequivocal, stemming from exceptional speed, technical finesse, and astute decision-making. His electrifying pace allows him to leave defenders trailing in his wake, creating constant threats on the flanks. Mbappé’s dribbling skills enable him to run through tight defenses, often beating two or three players.
Mbappé’s 1v1 ability is like no one else’s on earth, making it a top priority for PSG to get him into 1v1 situations. Mbappé can take it on both the outside and inside of his opponent, using his unbelievable speed and technique to get past the defender.
Because of this threat, many teams come out with an extra player, offering support to the fullback in case he gets beat, making it a 1v2. Mbappé sometimes beats both players due to his insane pace and dribbling. However, even if he does not, the opposition will have one less player in the center, which opens the space for Mbappe´s teammates.
Finishing
Kylian Mbappé’s finishing prowess is a testament to his clinical precision in front of goal. With a rare combination of speed, agility, and technical finesse, Mbappé exhibits remarkable composure when finishing chances. Mbappé’s ability to make split-second decisions and adapt his finishing technique to various situations adds an unpredictable edge to his game, making him a constant threat inside the box. His innate goal-scoring instincts elevate him to the echelons of football’s elite finishers.
Mbappé is the master at disguising his finishes and always uses different techniques to confuse his opponents into not knowing where he will shoot. In this situation, he opens up his body, making it look like he is shooting at the far post. The goalkeeper takes the bait and moves to that part of the goal, allowing Mbappé to shoot and score at the near post instead.
Another disguising technique that he uses is shooting through the defender’s legs. When coming 1v1 against a defender in and around the box, Mbappé uses small movements to find openings for the shot. First, he will cut inside, making it look like he is going to curl it into the far corner. This often makes the defender put his leg out to block the shot, which opens the space through the defender’s legs. Mbappé will use this opening to surprise the goalkeeper with a near-post finish into the bottom corner.
Kylian Mbappé has scored many goals using this technique, making it his trademark finish.
Playing off the Blindside
Mbappé always tries to play off the blindside of his defender. This means positioning yourself behind the defender, not allowing him to see both you and the ball.
Playing off the blindside allows Mbappé to be one step ahead of the defender. The defender sees the run much later, which gives the attacker a head start when making the run. If the center-back has the attacker and the ball in his vision, he can track every run the attacker takes because he can see it from the beginning. Being on the blindside forces the defender to look both behind himself and in front of him, naturally giving him less information about the position of the attacker and the position of the ball. When the defender looks at the ball, the attacker can make the run and get a massive head start.
Playing off the blindside also allows you to go both ways. Standing in front of the defender makes it very difficult to take any other run than the one in front of the defender. If the defender can see what run you will take, he will see when you take it, making it very easy to defend. Being positioned on the blindside instead enables the run in front of the defender and the one behind the defender, allowing you to attack whatever space is open. Mbappé, therefore, always stays on the blindside of the defender, making it more difficult for them to see where he will go.
The Double Movement
Mbappé has perfected the double movement and often uses it to create space for himself in the box. The double movement means moving back and forth to confuse the defender and make it difficult to determine which way you are actually going. This movement begins with the attacking player operating from the blind side. Small and quick movements in one direction force the defender to follow the movements. When this happens, Mbappé changes direction, which makes the defender move in the same direction. The defender can not see both the attacker and the ball at the same time, which means that one last change of direction will leave the attacker unopposed to attack the space that the defender has left open.
Movement Inside the Box
Kylian Mbappé is excellent at finding the space in the box and using his pace to arrive first to the ball. He usually operates from the blindside and finds free space, running in with great timing, enabling him to score many goals. He sometimes makes these runs at the back post but mainly makes them at the front post.
Mbappé often finds space in front of the backline as well. When his teammates carry the ball to the touchline, he knows the backline will drop, opening the space in front for a cut-back. Mbappé will come into this space and receive the ball for a great goalscoring opportunity.
Runs in Behind
Kylian Mbappé is mainly known for being extremely quick. His speed offers a lot to any team he plays in due to the constant threat of runs in behind the opposition backline. If the backline is high, Mbappé runs in behind and gets the pass, beating his defender to the ball, creating a 1v1 against the goalkeeper. This often forces the opposition to lower their backline, creating more space in between the lines, thus creating more space for Mbappé’s teammates to operate in.
Defending
While Kylian Mbappé undoubtedly excels in offensive prowess with his lightning speed and clinical finishing, one aspect where he tends to show less involvement is defensive work. Mbappé often focuses more on exploiting spaces and creating goal-scoring opportunities, leaving defensive duties to his teammates. His strategic positioning when defending reflects a conscious choice to conserve energy for impactful offensive contributions rather than extensive defensive efforts. While this approach highlights his specialization in certain aspects of the game, it does emphasize the need for a balanced team dynamic to cover defensive responsibilities effectively.
Being in a higher position during the low-pressing phase can sometimes work in his favor. This is because he is more ready for counterattacks. His more advanced position enables him to make runs in behind the backline instantly when his team wins the ball, which has given him many goals in his career.
Conclusion
In conclusion, this individual analysis of Kylian Mbappé provides a deeper understanding of the exceptional talent and impact he brings to football. Mbappé’s remarkable combination of speed, skill, and intelligence on the pitch has established him as one of the most electrifying players of his generation. From his clinical finishing to his ability to create scoring opportunities for teammates, Mbappé’s versatility and proficiency make him a formidable force on any team. As he continues to evolve and refine his game, there is no doubt that Kylian Mbappé will remain a pivotal figure in the footballing landscape for years to come.
