Kylian Mbappé’s star power soars in the United States | OneFootball

Kylian Mbappé is France’s standout and a leading face of this World Cup, which Les Bleus begin against Senegal on Tuesday at 21:00. In the United States his appeal now extends well beyond football.

According to L'Équipe, Boston offered instant proof. Even casual observers linked France to the Real Madrid forward, who is treated as an unofficial ambassador for the country all year.

Across four days in Boston and a day in New York, he drew crowds. From the airport tarmac to his hotel, he signed autographs and posed for photos, and Boston mayor Michelle Wu made sure to capture the moment.

Friday’s open session at Bentley University brought 450 invited fans who tracked his every touch and chanted his name. For many he was the only familiar face, and a March news conference in Foxborough had already drawn more than 100 reporters.

In New Jersey on Monday, journalists were disappointed he missed the eve-of-match briefing, while near Times Square number 10 shirts were on sale within a 10-minute walk. He is announced at basketball games like a celebrity, appears on vast billboards, and was even cited in a Fifth Avenue church notice.

Didier Deschamps said his captain enjoys global popularity, is discussed whatever he does, stays natural within the squad and accepts the role. Commercially, Mbappé has toured the US in 2019 and 2022 and fronts deals with Nike, Oakley, EA Sports, a production company and Sorare.

Source: L'Équipe