When France and Australia do battle on Tuesday evening, most of the world's eyes will fall on PSG superstar Kylian Mbappe. However, Newcastle United may have the second coming of the Frenchman in their ranks already - in the form of Garang Kuol.
The Australian, 18, enjoyed a meteoric rise in 2022 as he earned a move from Central Coast Mariners to the Magpies in September. Kuol is yet to start to a single game for the A-League outfit but earned a Socceroos call-up for the World Cup and is tipped to make an impact for his country at the tournament.
Kuol officially joins Newcastle in January but could be shipped straight out on loan, meaning fans in the north east will have to wait to see him in action in black and white. One man who has seen first-hand how lethal the youngster can be is his former coach Craig Carley.
READ MORE: How Garang Kuol was almost 'lost to the game' as an Australian refugee before World Cup joy
Carley coaches Goulburn Valley Suns, a semi-professional club based in Victoria, and saw exactly how good Kuol can be before he earned an A-League move. Now, he is comparing him to one of the world's best in Mbappe.
"He's an exciting talent. He reminds me a lot of Saint-Maximin who is already at the club. The way he beats players out wide and he's so good with the ball at his feet," Carley told Chronicle Live.
"He loves to drive into the box, he's quick and he can finish. Some of the goals he's scored of late you think 'how on earth has he done that?' It doesn't surprise me because I've seen it for a number of years since he was a kid.
"I remember when I first accelerated him into the seniors at 15-years-old and we had him in for pre-season. We had one of the bigger Melbourne teams come down that had just signed three of the big ex-A League players.
"The way he tore apart Adrian Leijer, who was the old Melbourne Victory captain and played in the Premier League for Fulham, it was unbelievable. I knew from that moment we had someone special.
"He reminds me of Kylian Mbappe with how direct he is and the pace that he has got. I've got no doubt he will forge a top Premier League career and Newcastle have certainly got a bargain on their hands with Garang."
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