The 23-year-old will run out for France against Argentina on Sunday at Lusail Stadium with the chance of becoming the youngest player to win a second World Cup since Pele did so aged 21 in 1962.
He is joint leading scorer in the tournament - level on five goals with Sunday's rival Lionel Messi - and has already scored nine goals in World Cup matches, making him joint 15th highest scorer in the tournament history.
In fact, only one male player in French history has scored more World Cup goals - Just Fontaine, with 13 goals, all in 1958 - as the lightning quick Paris St-Germain striker threatens to break all records before him.
But to understand Mbappe's love for football, you need to go back all the way to the beginning.
The France number 10 was born in Bondy, a little city in the north suburbs of Paris. The Mbappe family - Kylian, father Wilfried, mother Fayza and adopted brother Jires Kembo-Ekoko - lived in a council estate opposite the Bondy FC home ground. Younger brother Ethan, now 15, would arrive later.
There was only one street to cross and the pitch was Kylian's to play on for hours with his friends.
His dad was heavily involved in the local grassroots club, where he coached different teams and had a respected voice and reputation in the Parisian football microcosm.
His son was not interested in anything else but football. All he wanted was to hit a ball and be around his dad's teams. Football became a constant in the household, whether watching matches on television, playing competitively or with friends, at school, at Bondy or anywhere else.
Mbappe breathed, lived and slept football. On the walls of his bedroom, you could find posters of Cristiano Ronaldo, his idol.
It was clear from early on that the young Kylian had a gift. From the age of 10, all around Paris, people would talk about this prodigy from Bondy.
The conversation was soon going beyond the French capital. As well as pretty much every Ligue 1 club, all the big European teams were alerted by their scouts.
The Mbappes, though, had a clear plan. They were adamant Kylian would spend the next few years in France, not abroad, but they wanted to see him against the best.
So they accepted an offer from Chelsea, who took Kylian for a week of training at the age of 11, and from Real Madrid, who did the same when he was 12. Both European giants tried to convince him and his parents to move to London or to Spain, ready to offer pretty much anything.
But all the Mbappes wanted was to test their son. And everywhere he went, he was the best, even at the Clairefontaine academy - the elite set-up for young Parisian players.
After being selected among hundreds of 13-year-olds, you live at the academy for two years and, at the weekend, you play for your grassroots club, like Kylian, or for the professional club who recruit you.
Clubs queued for Mbappe but, unlike every other team-mate, he waited until the end of his two years at Clairefontaine to choose his next move.
Caen believed for a while that he was theirs before he chose Monaco. In the principality, he was told that he would have a pathway to the first team. Mbappe was 15 and all he wanted was to play football; his passion for the game was extraordinary.
At the Monaco academy, as he was starring in the youth teams, he dreamed of making his debut, playing in the Champions League, walking in the footsteps of his hero Ronaldo.
But to understand his success, it is important to understand the importance of his family. They do everything together. Soon, they lived together in Monaco.
When they felt he was not given a first-team opportunity despite being excellent at training, they protested. And Leonardo Jardim finally gave him his debut in December 2015. Mbappe, aged 16 years and 347 days, surpassed Thierry Henry's record as Monaco's youngest-ever first-team player.
It wasn't long before he beat Henry's record as the club's youngest goalscorer, finding the target against Troyes - aged 17 years and 62 days - in February 2016.
From then on, nothing could stop him. His first France cap came on 25 March 2017 against Spain, when he was aged 18 years and 95 days, His first goal followed in the next international break.
Real Madrid did everything they could. They arranged many trials, friendly matches, meet and greets with Zinedine Zidane and Ronaldo himself. They offered everything they could but it was not enough. Their efforts have not stopped.
Mbappe chose PSG, initially joining on a season-long loan in August 2017 before completing a £130m move, and has helped them win four Ligue 1 titles in five seasons since.
The rest is history. Mbappe goes into Sunday's final as France's main man. Only turning 24 two days after the World Cup final, he has already struck 33 times for France - just 20 behind team-mate Olivier Giroud, who holds the men's goal record for his country.
But the most important thing for the 2018 World Cup winner, what drives him, is his love for the ball and for the game. Since he was a baby, he had a ball at his feet - and now his feet are doing the talking. (with inputs from BBC)
The UN says the world's population has hit eight billion, just 11 years after passing the seven-billion milestone.
After a big surge in the second half of the 20th Century, population growth may now begin to slow
It could take 15 years to reach nine billion and the UN doesn't expect to reach 10 billion until 2080.
It's hard to calculate the number of people in the world accurately, and the UN admits its sums could be out by a year or two.
But 15 November is its best estimate for the eight billion line to be crossed.
In previous years, the UN has selected babies to represent the five, six and seven-billionth children - so what can their stories tell us about world population growth?
A few minutes after he was born in July 1987, Matej Gaspar had a flashing camera in his tiny face and a gaggle of besuited politicians surrounding his exhausted mother.
Stuck at the back of a motorcade outside, British UN official Alex Marshall felt partially responsible for the momentary chaos he had brought upon this tiny maternity unit in the suburbs of Zagreb.
"We basically looked at the projections and dreamed up this idea that the world population would pass five billion in 1987," he says. "And the statistical date was 11 July." They decided to christen the world's five billionth baby.
When he went to the UN's demographers to clear the idea they were outraged.
"They explained to us ignorant people that we didn't know what we were doing. And we really shouldn't be picking out one individual among so many."
But they did it anyway. "It was about putting a face to the numbers," he says. "We found out where the secretary general was going to be that day and it went from there."
Thirty-five years later the world's five-billionth baby is trying to forget his ceremonious entry into the world. His Facebook page suggests he's living in Zagreb, happily married and working as a chemical engineer. But he avoids interviews and declined to speak to the BBC.
"Well, I don't blame him," Alex says, remembering the media circus of Matej's first day.
Since then, three billion more people have been added to our global community. But the next 35 years could see a rise of only two billion - and then the global population is likely to plateau.
Just outside Dhaka in Bangladesh, Sadia Sultana Oishee is helping her mum, peeling potatoes for dinner. She's 11 and would rather be outside playing football but her parents run a pretty tight ship.
The family had to move here when their business, selling fabric and saris, was hit by the pandemic. Life is less expensive in the village, so they can still afford to pay school fees for their three daughters.
Oishee is the youngest and the family's lucky charm. Born in 2011, she was named one of the world's seven-billionth babies.
Oishee's mum had no idea what was about to happen. She hadn't even expected to give birth that day. After a doctor's visit she was sent to the labour ward for an emergency Caesarean section.
Oishee arrived at one minute past midnight, surrounded by TV crews and local officials craning over each other to see her. The family were stunned but delighted.
Oishee's father had hoped for a boy but now he's happy with his three hard-working, intelligent daughters. His eldest is already in university and Oishee is determined to become a doctor. "We are not that well-off and Covid has made things harder," he says. "But I'll do everything to make her dream come true."
Since Oishee was born another 17 million people have been added to Bangladesh's growing population.
This growth is a great medical success story, but the rate at which Bangladesh is expanding has slowed enormously. In 1980 the average woman would have more than six children, now it is less than two. And that's thanks to the focus that the country has put on education. As women become more educated they choose to have smaller families.
This is crucial for understanding where the world's population is likely to go. The three main bodies that make projections on global population - the UN, the Institute of Health Metrics and Evaluation (IHME) at the University of Washington and the IIASA-Wittgenstein Centre in Vienna - vary on the gains they expect in education.
The UN says the global population will peak in the 2080s at 10.4 billion but the IHME and Wittgenstein believe it will happen sooner - between 2060 and 2070, at less than 10 billion.
But these are just projections. Since Oishee was born in 2011 a lot has changed in the world, and demographers are constantly surprised.
"We were not expecting that the Aids mortality would fall so low, that treatment would be saving so many people," says Samir KC, a demographer at the IIASA. He's had to alter his model because an improvement in child mortality has a long-term impact, as surviving children go on to have children themselves.
And then there are the staggering drops in fertility.
Demographers were shocked when the number of children born per woman in South Korea dropped to an average of 0.81, Samir KC says. "So, how low will it go? This is the big question for us."
It is something more and more countries will have to grapple with.
While half of the next billion people will come from only eight countries - most of them in Africa - in most countries the fertility rate will be lower than 2.1 children per woman, the number necessary to sustain a population.
In Bosnia-Herzegovina, one of the most rapidly declining populations in the world, 23-year-old Adnan Mevic thinks about this a lot.
"There is going to be nobody left to pay for pensions for retired people," he says. "All the young people will be gone."
He has a masters in economics and is looking for a job. If he can't find one he'll move to the EU. Like many parts of Eastern Europe, his country has been hit with the double-whammy of low fertility and high emigration.
Adnan lives outside Sarajevo with his mum, Fatima, who has surreal memories of his birth.
"I realised something was unusual because doctors and nurses were gathering around but I couldn't tell what was happening," Fatima says. When Adnan arrived, the then UN Secretary General Kofi Annan was there to christen him the world's six-billionth baby. "I was so tired, I don't know how I felt," Fatima recalls, laughing.
Adnan and his mum flick through photo albums. In one a tiny boy sits in front of a giant cake, flanked by men in suits and military khakis. "While other kids were having birthday parties, I was just visited by politicians," Adnan says.
But there were perks. Being the six-billionth baby led to an invitation to meet his hero, Cristiano Ronaldo, at Real Madrid, when he was 11.
He finds it stunning that in 23 years the world population has grown by two billion people.
"That's really a lot," he says. "I don't know how our beautiful planet will cope." (with inputs from BBC)
NOV 14: Ronaldo promised in August he would give his version of life at Old Trafford after failing to secure a move away from United to a club playing in the Champions League, as he had hoped.
The veteran Portuguese has now broken his silence in a wide-ranging interview with Piers Morgan for TalkTV.
Manchester United have been asked for a response to Ronaldo's claims.
United, who beat Fulham 2-1 on Sunday, are fifth in the Premier League in manager Ten Hag's first season in charge.
When asked if United's hierarchy were trying to force him out of the club, Ronaldo said: "Yes, not only the coach [Erik ten Hag], but another two or three guys around the club. I felt betrayed."
When quizzed again if senior club executives were trying to oust him, the 37-year-old said: "I don't care. People should listen to the truth.
"Yes, I felt betrayed and I felt like some people don't want me here, not only this year but last year too."
Ronaldo says he has no 'respect' for Ten Hag
Ronaldo has not played because of an unspecified illness since he captained United in their 3-1 defeat at Aston Villa on 6 November.
He was dropped for the Premier League game at Chelsea last month by Ten Hag after refusing to come on as a substitute against Tottenham three days earlier.
"I don't have respect for him because he doesn't show respect for me," Ronaldo told Morgan. "If you don't have respect for me, I'm never gonna have respect for you."
The interview will be shown over two nights on Wednesday and Thursday.
Ronaldo also talks to Morgan about the loss of his baby son in April and how touched he was by a tribute paid to him by the Liverpool fans at a game against United at Anfield in the days afterwards.
The whole interview is 90 minutes long but Morgan has written a version for the Sun newspaper in which it is clear the contempt Ronaldo has for how he has found United since he returned to the club amid huge fanfare in August 2021.
"I think the fans should know the truth," he says. "I want the best for the club. This is why I come to Manchester United.
"Since [former manager] Sir Alex [Ferguson] left, I saw no evolution in the club. Nothing had changed.
"I love Manchester United, I love the fans, they're always on my side. But if they want to do it different… they have to change many, many things."
Ronaldo says his view of the club is shared by Ferguson, who was pivotal in his return to Old Trafford from Juventus when it appeared he might join Manchester City.
"He knows better than anybody that the club is not on the path they deserve to be," added Ronaldo.
"He knows. Everyone knows. The people who don't see that… it's because they don't want to see; they are blind."
Ronaldo had not 'heard' of Rangnick
Ronaldo's former team-mate Ole Gunnar Solskjaer was United manager when the Portuguese returned to the club before he was replaced by Ralf Rangnick and then current boss Ten Hag.
On Rangnick, Ronaldo said: "If you're not even a coach, how are you going to be the boss of Manchester United? I'd never even heard of him."
Wayne Rooney has criticised former United team-mate Ronaldo's behaviour this season and the Portugal international also criticised the ex-England striker.
"I don't know why he criticises me so badly... probably because he finished his career and I'm still playing at a high level," said Ronaldo.
"I'm not going to say that I'm looking better than him. Which is true…"
APRIL 20: The Portugal international, 37, and Rodriguez, 28, were expecting twins.
Their baby girl survived, and they said her birth "gives us the strength to live this moment with some hope and happiness".
"Our baby boy, you are our angel. We will always love you," they wrote.
In a statement on social media, they said: "It is with our deepest sadness we have to announce that our baby boy has passed away.
"We are all devastated at this loss and and we kindly ask for privacy at this very difficult time."
The pair had announced the pregnancy in October.
Manchester United tweeted: "Your pain is our pain. Sending love and strength to you and the family at this time."
And team-mate Marcus Rashford said on social media: "Thoughts are with you and Georgina brother I'm so sorry."
Manchester United later confirmed Ronaldo will miss Tuesday evening's match against Liverpool.
A fan-led minute's applause will be held in the seventh minute of the game at Anfield, while both teams will wear black armbands.
"Family is more important than everything and Ronaldo is supporting his loved ones at this immensely difficult time," the club said.
"As such, we can confirm that he will not feature in the match against Liverpool at Anfield on Tuesday evening and we underline the family's request for privacy.
"Cristiano, we are all thinking of you and sending strength to the family."
Ronaldo's former side Real Madrid said the club, their president and board of directors "are deeply saddened" by the news, adding: "Real shares in the family's pain and wishes to send them all of our warmth."
Manchester City, Leeds United and the Premier League have also tweeted messages of condolence.
Ronaldo has a son, Cristiano Jr, who was born in 2010, and twins Eva and Mateo who were born in 2017. He also has a daughter with Rodriguez, Alana Martina, who was born in 2017.
Manchester United footballer Cristiano Ronaldo and partner Georgina Rodriguez have announced the death of their baby boy, saying it is the "greatest pain that any parents can feel".
