Mbappe Far Superior to Yamal — George Weah

Former Ballon d’Or winner George Weah has declared that France captain Kylian Mbappe is “far superior” to Spain’s teenage sensation Lamine Yamal, insisting the two players should not be compared.

Weah made the comments after watching Mbappe score twice in France’s commanding 3-0 victory over Sweden in the Round of 32 of the 2026 FIFA World Cup.

Speaking to Spanish television programme El Chiringuito, the former AC Milan, Paris Saint-Germain and Liberia striker described Mbappe as one of the finest players in world football and praised his remarkable goalscoring ability.

“He’s a phenomenon,” Weah said.

“He’s truly a very good player and a very good goalscorer.”

The former FIFA World Player of the Year acknowledged Yamal’s immense talent but stressed that the Barcelona youngster is still in the early stages of his career and has not yet reached Mbappe’s level.

“Mbappe is a phenomenon, while Lamine is still developing and growing,” Weah added.

“All I hope is that Lamine continues on his path. But you can’t compare him to Mbappe. Everyone knows that Mbappe is far superior.”

Mbappe has been one of the standout performers at the ongoing World Cup, scoring six goals to remain among the leading contenders for the tournament’s Golden Boot award.

His brace against Sweden also took his overall World Cup tally to 18 career goals, leaving him just one goal behind Lionel Messi in the race to become the competition’s all-time leading goalscorer.

The Real Madrid forward came close to completing a hat-trick against Sweden after striking the woodwork and seeing another effort ruled out for offside.

Weah believes Mbappe’s consistency at the highest level, coupled with his ability to perform on the biggest stages, is what distinguishes him from emerging talents like Yamal.

The former Liberian president noted that while Yamal has enjoyed a rapid rise in international football, comparisons with established stars should be approached carefully to allow the youngster to continue developing without unnecessary pressure.

France have already qualified for the Round of 16 and remain among the favourites to win the World Cup, with Mbappe expected to play a crucial role as Didier Deschamps’ side continue their quest for another global title.