French kiss the Cup

MOSCOW, Russia — Kylian Mbappe and another supremely talented generation of French players may just be getting started after overcoming Croatia to win the World Cup in Russia.

While the 19-year-old is the poster boy for France’s new crop of talent, the make-up of the squad suggests it has the youth and firepower to dominate international football for years to come.

The average age of a fine back four of Benjamin Pavard, Raphael Varane, Samuel Umtiti and Lucas Hernandez is just 23.

Ousmane Dembele, who cost Barcelona $123 million, played for just two minutes in the knockout stages while France’s other goal scorers on Sunday, Antoine Griezmann, 27 and Paul Pogba, 25, are in their prime.

In scoring his fourth goal of the tournament and France’s fourth of a 4-2 win in the World Cup final in Moscow’s Luzhniki Stadium, Mbappe — named young player of tournament — became the youngest player since Pele to score in football’s biggest match.

“I have a story to write, this is just the beginning,” Mbappe warned the world. “I intend to go even further.”

It is not the first time in Russia the lightning-quick Paris Saint-Germain forward has drawn comparisons with the Brazilian great. In scoring twice against Argentina in the Last 16, Mbappe became the first teenager since Pele to score multiple goals in a World Cup game.

“If Kylian keeps equaling my records like this I may have to dust my boots off again,” tweeted Pele.

After starring as a 17-year-old in 1958, Pele went on to win two more World Cups and while Mbappe has much to do to match those feats, there is no telling how dominant a young French squad littered with world-class players can become.

Just nine players of the World Cup-winning squad were at Euro 2016, although there were just five changes comparing the starting line-ups from the two finals.

Only Nigeria sent a younger group than Didier Deschamps’s 23 to Russia yet France can boast serial winners at club level in Varane, Mbappe, Pogba and N’Golo Kante.

“Kylian Mbappe is just 19. I hope he will win it again but you never know,” said France coach Didier Deschamps.

“Just like 20 years ago there were also 19-year-old players like David Trezeguet and Thierry Henry. They could have (won it again), but did not.”