Kylian Mbappé Lottin (born 20 December 1998) is a French professional footballer who plays as a forward for La Liga club Real Madrid and captains the France national team. Widely considered the best player in the world in the mid-2020s, he is renowned for his dribbling, explosive speed, and clinical finishing. Mbappé rose to stardom at AS Monaco before joining Paris Saint-Germain, where he became the club's all-time top goalscorer. In 2024, he completed a long-awaited "Galactico" transfer to Real Madrid, inheriting the iconic number 9 shirt. Mbappé's international career is legendary. He won the 2018 FIFA World Cup as a teenager, scoring in the final, and won the Golden Boot at the 2022 World Cup, where he scored a historic hat-trick in the final against Argentina. By January 2026, he had settled at Real Madrid, forming a devastating partnership with Vinícius Júnior and Jude Bellingham, and was leading the race for his first Ballon d'Or. Off the field, Mbappé is a powerful figure in French culture and sports business. He effectively controls his own image rights (a rarity for players) and has his own production company. He has frequently used his platform to speak out on social issues in France, making him an icon for the youth in the Parisian suburbs (banlieues).