Cameroon football legend Samuel Eto’o believes Kylian Mbappe does not receive enough appreciation in France despite his outstanding achievements at the international level.
Mbappe has been one of the standout performers at the 2026 World Cup, leading France’s charge towards another final appearance. However, Eto’o believes the Real Madrid forward continues to face excessive criticism compared with other football icons.
Speaking to Le Parisien, Eto’o questioned why Mbappe is not already universally regarded among France’s greatest players.
“He deserves to be judged with the same fairness as other great champions, and perhaps it is time for France to fully appreciate how fortunate it is to have a player of such stature,” Eto’o said.
The former Barcelona and Inter Milan striker also suggested that Mbappe’s mixed heritage, with family roots in Cameroon and Algeria, may influence the way some people perceive him.
“Do Kylian’s mixed heritage, his origins, and what he represents in French society influence, consciously or unconsciously, how some people judge his career, his personality and his stances?” Eto’o asked.
He stressed that the issue should be discussed responsibly while acknowledging that prejudice and bias still exist in society.
Mbappe’s statistics underline his remarkable influence on the world stage. The 27-year-old has scored 20 World Cup goals since 2018, placing him second on the all-time tournament scoring chart behind Lionel Messi, who has 21.
Eto’o believes Mbappe still has more to achieve but questioned what more the French forward needs to do to receive full recognition.
“What more does Kylian Mbappe have to accomplish to be fully recognised as the best French player of his generation, or even as one of the greatest French players in history?” he said.
