Kylian Mbappe has perhaps already justified comparisons with Pele after setting a host of records at the Qatar World Cup, but the manner in which the Paris Saint Germain superstar swept past everyone in his wake suggests a great player of a different breed altogether.
He seems to have more pace and power than Pele did, according to a few video clips on youtube, and also has a prolific scoring rate at 24, much like the Brazilian great.
When Pele has the ball, the way he moves forward and dribbles past opponents, it seems like classical music is being played somewhere in the background, and this is where one of the greatest ever players is perhaps the best ever of his genre.
Diego Maradona is like the best of rock music, represented best by his good friends at Oasis, with a hint of classical touch, and Lionel Messi gives the impression of combining these two genres to its best amalgam shape.
This trio of greats embody perfectly the beauty of Latin American football.
Europe has had some of the finest midfielders in football history, and forwards as well, with Cristiano Ronaldo in the lead for the last couple of decades.
Ronaldo is perhaps a fusion of rock and metal.
But what Mbappe has been showing so far is something like a magical mix of European and African legacy.
His raw pace and power, typical of an African player, may have been rooted in him through his Algerian origin mother and Cameroonian father, while the dribbling skills of the lad from Bondy owe much to the French grooming, like Messi in Catalonia.
What he exhibited in Qatar rightly earned comparisons with the greats of the past and one particular breathtaking instance saw him dance past three opponent players rapidly inside the top of box, like one charming musical melody created instantly.
Not all players with individual brilliance can reach the summit of the greatest.
It requires records, feats or may be goals galore too.
Thus far, Mbappe has some astonishing numbers to his credit, which is not surprising owing to his extraordinary talent.
He narrowly slipped from being the youngest two-time World Cup winner since Pele in 1962 after netting only the second hat-trick in the finals of the tournament's history, but did become the second man to score in back-to-back finals.
He has stamped his authority in the grandest of games as his four goals in the finals are now the most in history.
Only Brazil's Ronaldo has scored as many times (eight) at a single World Cup over the past half-century and his total of 12 goals before the age of 24 have shattered Pele's previous record of seven.
He has only five men ahead of him to become all-time leading scorer.
LM10 and CR7's careers have now reached the end and those who were wondering who will be the next new superstar after retirement of these most celebrated duo, may have gotten their answer already.
With 253 goals in 363 games for club and country, he also exceeds the figures of Messi and Ronaldo at the same age.
Crown jewel Mbappe has already established himself among the modern and past legends, and one can only envisage the records and feats he will continue to break and create in the greatest show on earth the next decade.
Which brings the question, just where exactly will Mbappe eventually stop?
