DOHA – Kylian Mbappe was unlucky to finish on the losing side as Argentina defeated France on penalties but he showed on Sunday why comparisons with Pele are not unreasonable.

The Paris Saint-Germain forward scored only the second hat-trick in World Cup final history but his bid to become the youngest two-time winner since Pele in 1962 ended in heartbreak in Qatar.

Mbappe, who turns 24 on Tuesday, is just the second man to score in back-to-back World Cup finals, and finished as the tournament’s Golden Boot winner with eight goals.

Reduced to the role of a passenger for much of the game, he burst into life 10 minutes from time with two goals in the space of 97 seconds to bring Les Bleus back from the dead at 2-0 down.

Just when it looked all over for France as Lionel Messi struck again in extra time, Mbappe nervelessly smacked home his second spot kick – joining England’s 1966 star Geoff Hurst as the only other male player to score three times in a World Cup final.

And while it was Messi who gleefully hoisted the World Cup trophy, Mbappe is erasing any doubts as to who will succeed the Argentina captain and Cristiano Ronaldo as football’s new superstar.

He is already up to sixth on France’s list of all-time top scorers with 36 goals, one behind Karim Benzema – the injured Ballon d’Or winner who was absent in Qatar and has since retired from the national team.

Only Brazil’s Ronaldo has scored as many as his eight goals at a single World Cup over the past half-century.

Mbappe’s 12 goals at the Finals before the age of 24 have shattered Pele’s previous mark of seven.

His record is identical to the Brazilian legend’s tally from four World Cups, placing Mbappe joint sixth on the all-time list.

The forward emulated Vava, who scored in both of Brazil’s wins in 1958 and 1962. His four goals in World Cup finals are now also the most in history.

The Frenchman will still be just 27 at the next World Cup, a once-in-a-generation talent with a burning desire to soothe the pain of an agonising defeat in Doha.

“Many players broke records at this World Cup and Kylian has really left his mark,” said France coach Didier Deschamps.

“Unfortunately he didn’t leave it the way he would have wanted to and that’s why he was disappointed at the end.”

Mbappe had yet to speak after the loss, but on Monday he posted a picture of himself walking past the World Cup trophy on social media with just two words in French which translate to: “We’ll be back.”

He has scored 253 times in 363 games for club and country, a tally that far exceeds those of Messi and Ronaldo at the same age.

While he was engineering a thrilling France comeback, Pele was watching from his hospital bed thousands of kilometres away in Sao Paulo as he battles colon cancer.

“I’m happy to see you breaking another one of my records in this World Cup, my friend!” the 82-year-old replied after Mbappe sent his get-well wishes earlier in the tournament.

Mbappe has elevated his game to new heights over the past month, earning himself the right to one day perhaps be included in the same conversation as Pele, Diego Maradona, Messi and Ronaldo.

He is very much the jewel in France’s crown – and time is on his side. AFP