Kylian Mbappe is only operating at half of his potential, according to PSG sporting director Luis Ocampos, who believes there is plenty more to come.
The Parisian star has enjoyed a rapid rise since bursting onto the scene with Monaco and is now regarded as one of the world's finest players. Mbappe is attempting to win a second World Cup, despite his tender age, this winter with Les Blues, but receives daily reminders that his best football is still to be unlocked.
The 23-year-old has spent his career playing in Ligue 1, but has also flourished in the Champions League. He shares the stage with fellow superstars Neymar and Lionel Messi, who are both in their 30s, but has time on his side and has been urged to continue learning to become the player he can be.
Ocampos said: “Mbappe is still only at 40 or 50 per cent of his potential, and I tell him that every day. He can still give a lot more because he is a player who has not yet finished his training. There is the speed of maturation, that is to say that not everyone evolves at the same rate. Mbappe at 16 was already developed at all levels. Physically, he was very strong and had an understanding of the game worthy of a 26-year-old player."
Mbappe has been linked with a PSG exit, despite only signing a new deal in the summer. His new contract gave him more say in the major decisions but he was reportedly unhappy, which the player himself has since dismissed.
He leaves the French capital with PSG sat top of Ligue 1 in what is their first season with Christophe Galtier at the helm. They're also gearing up for a Champions League knockout tie with Bayern Munich as they aim to conquer Europe for the first time.
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Didier Deschamps will now be tasked with getting the best out of Mbappe for the next four weeks. Les Blues head to Qatar without much form as they aim to defend their crown, but their coach believes he has the formula which gets the best out of his star man.
“He’s a forward who needs freedom. I will give him that freedom," said Deschamps. "But he will have defensive obligations, less than all the other players behind him, midfielders and defenders. But at the highest level, we can’t afford to lose a player when we don’t have the ball.”
Mbappe scored in the final victory over Croatia four years ago in Russia, which saw him named as the tournament's best young player. France are aiming to become the first team since Brazil in 1962 to retain the World Cup.
