If you didn't already know the name Kylian Mbappé before Saturday morning, the 19-year old French forward delivered a performance worthy of international superstardom, the kind that necessitates only a one-word introduction, as he became the first teenager since Brazilian legend Pele 60 years ago to score two goals in a World Cup game.
Mbappé, who was born six months after France's 1998 World Cup championship, was already well on his way, even before becoming the youngest-ever French player to score for the national team at a World Cup, and his two goals Saturday helped eliminate Argentina. His talent caught the eye of Paris Saint-Germain in 2017 and PSG eventually secured his transfer for an approximate fee of 180 million ($210.6 million), making him second only to Brazilian teammate Neymar in richest transfers in the sport's history.
In Russia, his star has continued to rise, seemingly unshaken by the stage or the pressure. He rose to the occasion against Argentina to eliminate one of the sport's preeminent stars in Lionel Messi, who at 31 may never play internationally for La Albiceleste again.
Cristiano Ronaldo and Portugal crashed out at the hands of Uruguay a few hours later and the 2014 champion Germans didn't even make it out of the group stage. There's a whiff of a changing of the guard - not just of the favorite teams, but of the game's aging superstars - in the muggy air of a Russian summer.
That stark contrast between Kylian and Messi on Saturday - one I think can be extended more broadly at this World Cup - happens in some form or fashion at every World Cup: the greats rarely get a chance to write their own happy ending and go out on top, while the nature of time and sports churns on uncaring, pushing out the technique and savvy of age and welcoming the dazzling daring and play-making of youth.
After all, these are two of the things the World Cup does best: it dishes out heartbreak and provides a stage for incredible individual performances that increase the standing of those players. In 2014, it was Colombian midfielder James Rodrguez, Costa Rican goalkeeper Keylor Navas and Mexican keeper Guillermo Ochoa who captured rapt attention and staggering transfer fees. South Africa in 2010 saw Germany's Thomas Mller, Spanish midfielders Andres Iniesta and Xavi Hernndez, and goalkeeper Iker Casillas, and Uruguayan forward Diego Forln break through to international prominence. And 2006 saw the emergence of Messi and Ronaldo, alongside German forward Lukas Podolski, Czech keeper Petr Cech and Dutch attacker Arjen Robben.
Mbappé isn't the only young player hungry for a share of the spotlight. Germany's embarrassment of riches up front was the reason manager Joachim Lw did not select promising 22-year old wing Leroy Sané, and the Germans' national embarrassment began in the team's opening match against Mexico in which 22-year old forward Hirving 'Chucky' Lozano scored the 1-0 winner for El Tri. Nigerian goalkeeper Franciz Uzoho is two months older than Mbappé, and slightly older players with a larger stature like Denmark's Christian Eriksen, Colombia's Yerry Merina and Belgium's Michy Batshuayi have a chance to help their teams and themselves with a deep tournament run.
Because for all the deserved hype and impressive playmaking Mbappé has shown, PSG has him contracted through 2022, the offseason of the next World Cup in Qatar, and his contract means he can afford the great gesture of donating his per-game bonus from this World Cup, around $23,400, to the charity Premieres de Cordée, which helps children with disabilities play sports. Many other players, though, depend on the bonuses to support themselves during leaner times and on the exposure to market their services to richer club teams.
Already, 50 of 64 matches have been completed in Russia, and the remainder of the round of 16 features clear favorites with a history of winning at the World Cup like Brazil, Spain, Uruguay, England and France, unproven but talented teams like Belgium, Mexico and Croatia, and long shots Russia, Sweden, Colombia, Switzerland, Denmark and Japan. But there is still time for more surprise, more heartbreak, and maybe another ascendant presence to burst forth into the international soccer consciousness.