Gone are the days when the world’s best player needed do some work or invest modestly after retirement, drive top cars, do punditry, coach etc like the likes of Pele, Maradona, Cruyff etc had to do.
These days, even whilst being active, the world’s “absolute” best players seem to have not only deep pockets, but can even own private Jets if they feel like it.
One extraordinarily talented player however, is set to even make that look paltry soon by the absolute nett worth and value he currently has, is seemingly destined to possess. I am talking about Kylian Mbappe. Owner Of the KM brand!
Very few players on earth, have been able to refuse the courtship of the legendary Real Madrid When Madrid “Really” wanted them! David Beckham, Zinedine Zidane, Ronaldo Da lima, Ronaldo a.k.a Cr7, Kaka, even Luiz Figo from Eternal rivals Barcelona couldn’t say no to Real when it came calling, But Mbappe did say, No thank you when they came!
Real Madrid is not only arguably one of the richest and the most silverware decorated club in the history of World Football, it is also renowned for extraordinarily renumerating its players thanks to an exceptionally well-crafted marketing strategy and players value enrichment like no other club in the world. But Mbappe still said no, no thank you. Why?
Could it be it is because he does not need Real Madrid, or because his current employers at PSG are richer than Real Madrid 10 times over etc?
If you have followed Mbappe from the onset when he hit the limelight, whilst playing for Monaco, you will not be surprised at this and would have to a large extent expected this to happen.
In the history of the game, short of Pele, no footballer has been as influential at 19 years of age as Mbappe!
Now before some of you start going ballistic at me now and might radically disagree, please read on and hopefully you’ll understand from what angle I am coming from.
In my entire three decades of involvement at the highest level of world football, I have never seen, or read of a footballer and his entourage who has a very clear view of what, where and how he wants to go about his career and image management like Mbappe.
For example, when he arrived at Wealthy PSG, he was not yet licensed to drive a car, hence was commuted day in day out by his Mum and his relation with the media scrupulously managed to control any slip ups.
All business transactions are handled by his “law savvy parents and their crew”, unlike most stars before him, he controls his image rights etc
Many brands have seen their lucrative partnership deal offers shunned by Mbappe as he selectively has made himself scarce and a privileged commodity to partner with, in this golden age of social media domination and its gigantic commercial value.
Multi Billion Dollars grossing Gaming giants, EA SPORTS, has Kylian Mbappe as partner. Mbappe has graced the cover of EA SPORTS games for the third year in a row, making him one of a select few to earn that status.
“At just 23 years old, Kylian is one of the sport’s brightest young stars on and off the pitch, representing the best of a new generation of phenomenal footballing talent” KM Sports Quote.
A trip to Mbappe’s official website will uniquely impress you on not only how organised and simple it is but not ridiculed with all kind of sponsors, but few and universal heavy weight partners like Nike, Oakley, Hublot.
At 23, he is the current highest paid footballer in the world at over 60 million Euros annual salary! And his brand is a very much present in the US market where his command of the English language and ethnic background is a huge advantage for his merchandising value!
He has won A world cup at 19 years of age scoring in the final and being an absolute influential player, a feat only the Legendary Late Pele bettered. some all-time greats ended their careers never winning one or even getting to the finals.
I was privileged to watch him several times at the recently concluded 2022 FIFA world cup in Qatar and I was so Amazed at the overall quality, physicality, pace, intelligence of play and an extraordinary self-belief that this young man has, that, void of Injuries, I wouldn’t be surprised if he becomes the first Frenchman that wins 2 or 3 world cups as a player.
Should he continue to earn, same like today, just from football wages, for the next 10 Years, he would have earned close to a Billion Euros and with his positive worldwide positive social media image I feel it safe to say, I would like to introduce you to the new “Bill Gates3 of World Football.
