Mbappe's maturity impresses France: It is like he has been here 15 years

France hope Kylian Mbappe can score his first international goal this month, with Noel Le Graet hailing the forward's mindset.

Published : Jun 01, 2017 17:24 IST

Kylian Mbappe looks like he has been with the France squad for 15 years, according to Noel Le Graet.

The French Football Federation's president hailed how quickly the Monaco forward has adapted to international football since making his first two appearances for Les Bleus in March.

Mbappe is part of Didier Deschamps' squad for the friendlies against Paraguay and England this month, either side of a World Cup qualifying clash with Sweden, as he looks to score his first senior goal in France colours.

The 18-year-old has been linked with making a world-record move away from Monaco this off-season after a stunning breakthrough campaign which saw him score 26 times in all competitions, helping Leonardo Jardim's side to their first Ligue 1 title in 17 years.

But Le Graet is impressed by how well Mbappe is handling the hype, despite rumours over a switch to Real Madrid. "On the pitch, he is a phenomenon," Le Graet said to L'Equipe.

"He does not play like a young player nor someone who has been around for a while. He is natural. You would think he's been here for the last 15 years. He has a good handshake, he is very kind, has lots of respect for others. He has been very well brought up and is very mature for his age," he added.

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