PARIS (AFP) - Football legend Pele told Kylian Mbappe on Tuesday (April 2) that he believes the French World Cup winner can emulate his own achievement of scoring 1,000 career goals.
The 78-year-old Brazilian claims to have netted over 1,000 goals in his career, while Mbappe has so far managed 103 in total, with 92 of those coming at the top level.
"It's possible, I scored exactly 1,025, so 1,000 goals is possible for him," Pele told AFP in Paris, where he met Mbappe at a sponsor event for Hublot watches.
Mbappe, who last year became only the second teenager to score in a World Cup final after Pele in France's 4-2 victory over Croatia, played down Pele's comments.
"I think that even if we count the goals on inter-city pitches and goals on the PlayStation, I won't be able to reach the 1,000-goal mark," said the 20-year-old Paris St Germain forward.
"We will try to get as close as we can, but I think I'll be a long way off it at the end of my career."
Mbappe has scored 32 goals in all competitions for PSG this season, including 27 from only 24 Ligue 1 appearances.
Pele was only 21 when he won his second World Cup in 1962, adding a third eight years later.
"There's only one 'King' and he's there," said Mbappe. "I'm just Kylian, I'm trying to do my best to help my team and my national side.
"The comparisons are flattering but I know very well that I will never do what he did."
It was not the first time that Mbappe has had to temper comparisons with Pele, after a rush to crown him a future footballing great during the World Cup in Russia, where he scored four goals in total.
But the former Monaco striker insists that he is not focused on becoming the best player of modern times.
"When Pele was playing, he didn't think he wanted to be the best player in history, he wanted to have fun, help his country and his club, which he did," he said.
"What I want is to help PSG, the France team and afterwards it will be other people who tell you that you are the best.
"Everyone says that he is the best, but if you are (the best), there's no need to say it. It's not a goal for me."
Pele spent the majority of his career at Santos in his home country, bar a spell in the United States with the New York Cosmos shortly before his retirement.
He told Mbappe, who has been repeatedly linked with a move away from PSG, that the key to smashing goalscoring records is playing in the very best teams.
"People tend to say that goals are the most important thing - I thank God for having scored so many in my career - but we must know that we need to be well-supported, you can't score on your own, you need good teammates, that's very important."
Mbappe and his Paris teammates have only the French Cup left to fight for this season, with the Ligue 1 title all but secured and their Champions League campaign over after a humiliating defeat by Manchester United.
V-Varen Nagasaki v Niigata "liveStream"(live) | Aarhus vs
The reason Spain suffered is because Norway were able to tie things up as Joshua King converted a penalty in the 65th minute, yet Luis Enrique's side showed fight and pressure, a foreign concept
Enrique praises Ramos as 'unique' player's penalty secures
MILAN: Juventus clinched their eighth consecutive Serie A title on Saturday with a come-from-behind 2-1 win over Fiorentina. Alex Sandro's diving header on 37 minutes and an own goal from Fiorentina defender German Pezzella after a Cristiano Ronaldo cross in the 53rd minute sealed a 35th Scudetto.
Juventus Win Eighth Consecutive Serie A Title - Channels
Palace punish sloppy Arsenal in 3-2 win at the Emirates | Crystal Palace put a dent in Arsenal's Champions League qualification hopes after strikers Christian Benteke and Wilfried Zaha made the most of defens
Lucas Moura: From PSG cast off to Tottenham idol Lucas Moura almost single-handedly fired Spurs into their first Champions League final with a hat-trick in Amsterdam.
Lucas Moura, from PSG cast-off to Tottenham idol
Former England star Wayne Rooney scored three goals on Saturday night to lead DC United to a crushing 5-0 victory over Real Salt Lake. Rooney bags first MLS hat-trick in DC romp.
Watch: Rooney bags first MLS hat trick in DC United romp
Shanghai (AFP) Italian World Cup-winning captain Fabio Cannavaro was named coach of China on Friday, spearheading the ambitious country's attempts to become a footballing force at last.
Italian legend Fabio Cannavaro appointed head coach of China
LONDON: Leeds United manager Marcelo Bielsa's sportsmanlike decision to allow Aston Villa to score unopposed in Sunday's 1-1 draw is all the more remarkable given what is at stake for the Championship club, former Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger has said.
Corrected: Soccer - Wenger hails Leeds' Bielsa for
We do it our way, says Klopp after another late Liverpool win 06 April 2019, MVT 10:35 Liverpool's German manager Jurgen Klopp looks on before the English Premier League football match between Everton and Liverpool at Goodison Park in Liverpool, north west England on March 3, 2019.
We do it our way, says Klopp after another late Liverpool win
The Toffees are without three of their defenders as Yerry Mina, Leighton Baines and Phil Jagielka are all sidelined while Lucas Digne and Idrissa Gueye both are likely to feature for Silva's side. Digne was suspended and missed their 3-1 loss to Wolves while Gueye has recovered from a groin problem.
Pep Guardiola impressed by "incredible" Brendan Rodgers
Posted on 09/06/2019 by football is my Arsenal atletico madrid bayern munich Borussia Dortmund Bundesliga carabao cup champions league chelsea fc creations
Live Coverage: Saturday football incl. Chelsea, West Ham
Cardiff City's Kenneth Zohore struck deep into stoppage time to secure a crucial 2-1 win on Saturday at fellow Premier League strugglers Southampton, who thought they had snatched a point with a
Zohore gives Cardiff win over Southampton in frantic finale
Football: Australian female players to earn same base pay as
Bayern Munich striker Sandro Wagner leaves for China's Tianjin Teda after receiving 'a very attractive offer' Sandro Wagner has had a limited role at Bayern Munich under Niko Kovac
Bayern forward Wagner moves to Tianjin Teda - China.org.cn
As Jurgen said on Tuesday night, his team is a bunch of "fucking mentality monsters." It's that mentality and determination to get things right this time around that has them back in the Final. On its day, this Liverpool side is capable of accomplishing anything. They can right the past wrongs and can achieve new glories.
Is Jose Mourinho delivering on promises in his second Chelsea
0 comments:
Post a Comment