PARIS SAINT-GERMAIN star Kylian Mbappe is now the most sought-after striker in world football, chased by the likes of Real Madrid and Liverpool.
But just over four years ago, he was nothing more than an unknown teenager making waves in Monaco’s youth set-up.
How Monaco lined up for Mbappe’s debut in December 2015
Mbappe made his senior debut in December 2015 aged just 16 – alongside the likes of Bernardo Silva and Fabinho.
That Monaco side, of course, would go on to win the Ligue 1 title just over a year later, with Mbappe – now 21-years-old – a key figure.
But that day in December 2015, with Monaco taking on Caen in front of just 5,000 fans, changed Mbappe’s life forever.
He came off the bench as an 88th-minute sub for Fabio Coentrao in the 1-1 draw, failing to snatch a late winner.
Here’s how the rest of Monaco’s starting XI looked like that day – and where they are now…
GK – Danijel Subasic
Daniel Subasic will go down in history as a Monaco legend
A MONACO legend, the 44-cap Croatian goalkeeper was huge in 2016-17 when Monaco clinched their shock Ligue 1 title.
Where Mbappe, Fabinho, Bernardo, Tiemoue Bakayoko and many others quit that season, Subasic stayed – and is still there to this day.
RB – Almamy Toure
Almamy Toure, left, started at right-back for Mbappe’s debut
THE right-back that day, Toure, only joined Monaco that year and stayed until 2019.
He scored five times in 54 Ligue 1 games before joining Frankfurt last summer.
CB – Wallace
Wallace moved to Lazio after his spell at Monaco
THE Brazilian centre-back was only at the club on loan from Braga between 2014 and 2016.
He would go on to return to his parent club, before being sold to Lazio in 2016… and loaned back to Braga for this season.
CB – Ricardo Carvalho
Chelsea legend Carvalho left Monaco just before their title win
A CHELSEA legend, Carvalho was heading towards the end of his career when Mbappe was racing into the first-team.
Carvalho left Monaco at the end of the 2015-16 season after three years at the club, joined Shanghai SIPG and missed out on the Ligue 1 side’s title triumph.
LB – Fabio Coentrao
Fabio Coentrao spent the 2015-16 season on loan from Real Madrid
THE Real Madrid left-back spent just one year at Monaco, on loan from Los Blancos – and was the man taken off after 88 minutes for Mbappe to make his debut.
Having spent seven years at the Bernabeu, the 52-cap Portugal international returned to boyhood club Rio Ave.
After one season, Coentrao’s contract was not renewed and six months later, in January 2020, he hung up his boots.
CM – Fabinho
Fabinho wrote his name in Monaco folklore before joining Liverpool
NOW a Liverpool stalwart, Fabinho was the beating heart of Monaco’s midfield for three years – including the title-winning term.
Fabinho racked up over 100 Ligue 1 appearance before heading to Liverpool where he helped them to the Champions League title in 2019 and a near-certain Premier League crown this year.
CM – Joao Moutinho
Joao Moutinho starred in midfield for years alongside Fabinho
ALONGSIDE Fabinho, Moutinho helped keep Monaco’s midfield ticking over, enjoying a five-year stint on the South Coast, including 158 league outings.
Moutinho joined Wolves at the end of the 2017-18 season where he has since helped the club push for European places.
CM – Mario Pasalic
Mario Pasalic spent one season on loan at Monaco
BIZARRELY still on the books of Chelsea, Pasalic joined the Blues in 2014 and the 2015-16 was spent on loan at Monaco.
Pasalic has since been loaned to AC Milan and Spartak Moscow, but is now in the midst of a purple patch in his career at Atalanta on a temporary deal.
RW – Bernardo Silva
Bernardo Silva was a huge part of Monaco’s success before joining Man City
NOW a Manchester City superstar, Bernardo was just starting to catch the eye of Europe’s giants in 2015.
He had enjoyed a loan spell at the club in the 2014-15 season before making his move permanent.
Silva quit the club at the end of their 2016-17 Ligue 1 success to go for more glory with Pep Guardiola’s City.
ST – Guido Carrillo
Guido Carrillo scored Monaco’s goal on Mbappe’s debut
SCORED Monaco’s only goal in Mbappe’s debut, Carrillo was in his first of three seasons at the club in 2015.
Carrillo moved to Southampton in 2018, played just seven times and has been on loan at LaLiga side Leganes ever since.
LW – Stephan El Shaarawy
El Shaarawy linked up with Coentrao on the left for Mbappe’s debut
THE 25-cap Italy international spent the 2015-16 season on loan at Monaco from parent club AC Milan – starting on the left wing for Mbappe’s debut.
After a loan stint at Roma, he joined them permanently in 2016, before moving to Shanghai Shenhua in 2019 – where he still plays to this day.
Mbappe names Cristiano Ronaldo as his idol ahead of Lionel Messi and World Cup final goal vs Croatia was his favourite
Source: Soccer - thesun.co.uk
