Kylian Mbappé has named his top six players in World Cup history, with Pelé placed at number one.
The France captain’s ranking was shared by Diario Olé and features some of the most celebrated names ever to play in the tournament.
Mbappé’s list puts Pelé first, Lionel Messi second and Diego Maradona third. Zinedine Zidane is fourth, Mbappé places himself fifth, and Michel Platini completes the top six.
Kylian Mbappé names his six greatest World Cup players
Mbappé’s full ranking starts with Pelé, the Brazil icon who remains the only player to win three World Cups.
Pelé won the tournament in 1958, 1962 and 1970, a record that still separates him from every other player in the history of the men’s competition.
Messi is second on Mbappé’s list, ahead of Maradona in third. The Argentina captain strengthened his World Cup legacy in Qatar, where he won the Golden Ball at Qatar 2022 after producing seven goals and three assists.
Maradona follows in third, with Zidane fourth. That means Mbappé placed two Argentina greats and one French World Cup winner directly behind Pelé.
The final two names are especially notable from a French perspective. Mbappé placed himself fifth, one position ahead of Platini.
It is a ranking that puts Mbappé among the established greats of the competition while still leaving Pelé, Messi, Maradona and Zidane above him.
Why Mbappé’s own place on the list is backed by his World Cup record
Mbappé including himself in fifth place will naturally draw attention, but his World Cup record gives that call clear context.
He won the Golden Boot in 2022 after scoring eight goals, one more than Messi.
That run included a hat-trick in the final against Argentina, even though France lost on penalties.
Mbappé has also scored four goals across World Cup finals in 2018 and 2022. FIFA records show that no man has scored more World Cup final goals.
Those numbers explain why Mbappé’s own name appears on the list, rather than making the ranking sound like empty self-confidence.
The order will still invite debate, especially with Messi above Maradona and Mbappé above Platini.
But as a snapshot of how Mbappé views World Cup greatness, the list is clear. Pelé remains the benchmark, Messi and Maradona lead Argentina’s presence, and Mbappé already sees his own tournament record as part of the conversation.
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