Mbappe: Ronaldo, Messi and Neymar are phenomenal, I'm still far away
Monaco star Kylian Mbappe says he must earn the right to draw comparisons to the world's best players.
Exciting Monaco forward Kylian Mbappe has rejected the notion he is a phenomenon, saying such praise should be reserved for superstars like Lionel Messi, Neymar and Cristiano Ronaldo.
Mbappe is one of the most sought after prospects in world football, with a trio of Premier League powerhouses in Arsenal, Manchester United and Liverpool all reportedly interested in the teenager.
The 18-year-old, who has been likened by some to France great Thierry Henry, saw his stock continue to rise with a hat-trick in Monaco's 5-0 battering of Metz in Ligue 1 on Saturday.
However, Mbappe is keen to temper expectations over his undoubted potential.
3 - @KMbappe is the youngest player to score a hat-trick in Ligue 1 (18 yo & 2 mo) since Jérémy Menez in 2005 (17 yo & 8 mo). Promise.
— OptaJean (@OptaJean) February 11, 2017
"Cristiano Ronaldo, Messi and Neymar are phenomenal. I'm still far away [from that level]," he told reporters in the aftermath of the rout.
"The hat-trick came because of a really top match by the whole team, now we're going to try to concentrate and recover well to get ready for the game next Friday [at Bastia].
"I prepared my game normally, there was nothing special. I got a good feeling."
Mbappe has seven goals in 17 Ligue 1 appearances this season for a Monaco side who are three points clear of Paris Saint-Germain at the top of the table.