He doesn't compare — Ex-Chelsea star explains why Mbappe can't reach Zidane's level

Former Chelsea defender Frank LeBoeuf believes that Kylian Mbappe is incomparable to Zinedine Zidane, as he believes the former Real Madrid coach is admired by people in a way the forward has yet to attain.  

Mbappe and Zidane are two of France’s greatest players, leading different successful eras for Les Bleus. They both led France to two World Cup finals, winning one each; still, LeBoeuf claims Zidane’s claim to being the greatest French player ever is unshakeable. 

During a recent interview, the 1998 World Cup winner explained that Mbappe was not as loved as Zidane and that nobody can reach the former Juventus midfielder’s level.

“Definitely not. He cannot compare. It is difficult to compare careers and times as well,” he said. “But what Zizou is capable of doing, on top of being a great player, the way he behaved – even if he had the 2006 mistakes – people love him. 

“Kylian Mbappe had some controversies in his private life, which brought some anger from some people in France. He will never catch where Zidane is, and probably nobody is going to catch him. 

“Michel Platini as well at the time, and Raymond Kopa before him – those players are icons. It’s only at the end of his career that we will see if Mbappe can be put at the same level.”

LeBeouf believes Mbappe still has room for improvement. He criticised the forward's defensive contribution and noted that an improvement in that regard will raise the ex-PSG man's profile. 

“He’s a great player. Definitely a great player and a smart guy. I’m very proud of him. But he has to work harder on the field still to make me think, ‘Wow, what a player.’”

“He is a great finisher. Real Madrid are very lucky to have him this season, to score goals in almost every game. But I still need, from him, a little bit more – when you lose the ball, for example, to chase back a little bit, just a bit and showing that he wants to help his teammates. 

“In modern times, it is all about statistics: how many goals you score, how many passes you made, how many runs you make, and for me, Kylian Mbappe is the best example of what modern-day football is right now. I don’t belong to that, so I want to see more of him.”

Meanwhile, Zidane does not share those sentiments, as he believes that Mbappe will surpass everyone, including himself.