Tom Brady was a star quarterback in the National Football League (NFL). He gained national fame for leading the New England Patriots and Tampa Bay Buccaneers to seven Super Bowl victories.
Credit: © Bob Rosato, Sports Illustrated/Getty Images

On Wednesday, February 1st, 2023, the legendary quarterback Tom Brady announced his retirement for the second time. After 23 years in the National Football League, he explained this retirement was official and permanent. Brady had announced his retirement exactly one year before but reversed his decision after six weeks. He played the 2022 to 2023 season with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Brady exits the NFL as the most accomplished player in football history.

Brady played for the New England Patriots from 2000 to 2020 and for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers from 2020 to 2023. Brady gained national fame for leading the Patriots and Buccaneers to seven Super Bowl victories. He led the Patriots to victory against the St. Louis Rams (now the Los Angeles Rams) in 2002, the Carolina Panthers in 2004, the Philadelphia Eagles in 2005, the Seattle Seahawks in 2015, the Atlanta Falcons in 2017, and the Los Angeles Rams in 2019. In 2021, he led the Buccaneers to victory over the Kansas City Chiefs. Brady is the only quarterback to win seven Super Bowls. He was named the Super Bowl Most Valuable Player in 2002, 2004, 2015, 2017, and 2021. He was also named the NFL Most Valuable Player for the 2007, 2010, and 2017 seasons.

During his NFL career, Brady was known for his leadership qualities and his accurate passing. Brady completed more passes (7,753), threw for more yards (89,214), and threw more touchdown passes (649) than any other quarterback in NFL history. He also won more regular season games (251) and more playoff games (35) than any other quarterback. Brady is the only quarterback with more than 10,000 career playoff passing yards. In 2022, he became the first quarterback with a combined total of 100,000 career regular season and playoff passing yards. During the 2007 regular season, Brady threw 50 touchdown passes, an NFL record until Peyton Manning of the Denver Broncos broke it by throwing 55 touchdown passes in 2013. During his career, Brady led the NFL in passing touchdowns five times (2002, 2007, 2010, 2015, and 2021) and passing yards four times (2005, 2007, 2017, and 2021).

Thomas Edward Brady, Jr., was born on Aug. 3, 1977, in San Mateo, California. He played college football at the University of Michigan. He graduated in December 1999. The Patriots selected Brady in the sixth round of the NFL draft in 2000. He was the 199th player picked. Brady appeared in only one game in his rookie season. He became the team’s starting quarterback early in the 2001 season after regular quarterback Drew Bledsoe was injured.

In April 2015, the NFL accused Brady and the Patriots of involvement in illegally deflating footballs used in the American Conference championship game between New England and the Indianapolis Colts in January 2015. The league suspended Brady for four games, fined New England $1 million, and stripped the Patriots of two draft picks. In 2020, Brady left the Patriots to play with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

LeBron James is a dominant scorer, passer, rebounder, and defender. James led the Miami Heat, Cleveland Cavaliers, and Los Angeles Lakers to NBA titles.
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The King! The GOAT (greatest of all time)! The best in NBA history! Lebron James claimed Kareem Abdul-Jabbar’s record for most regular-season points scored in a player’s career on February 7, 2023. He secured the record playing for the Los Angeles Lakers against the Oklahoma City Thunder. Abdul-Jabbar recorded 38,387 points in his career. James has put up 38,388 points since he started in the NBA in 2003. That is more points than how many miles it is to travel around the world 1.5 times!

Lebron James is a star forward in the National Basketball Association (NBA). James stands 6 feet 8 inches (2.03 meters) tall and weighs about 260 pounds (118 kilograms). His unusual combination of speed and power makes James one of the most unique and gifted players in NBA history. James is an outstanding scorer, playmaker, and defensive player. He was selected as the NBA’s Most Valuable Player for the 2008-2009, 2009-2010, 2011-2012, and 2012-2013 seasons.

LeBron Raymone James was born on Dec. 30, 1984, in Akron, Ohio. He gained a national reputation while playing for St. Vincent-St. Mary High School in Akron. The Cleveland Cavaliers selected James as the first pick in the 2003 NBA draft. He was named the NBA Rookie of the Year for the 2003-2004 season. In the 2006-2007 season, James led Cleveland to the team’s first conference championship in franchise history. James led the NBA in scoring for the 2007-2008 regular season with a 30-point average.

LeBron James scores a basket against the Oklahoma City Thunder in the Miami Heat’s victory in the fifth and final game of the 2012 NBA finals. James was named the Most Valuable Player of the championship series.
Credit: © Rhona Wise, EPA/Alamy Images

James signed with the Miami Heat after the 2009-2010 season. He helped Miami reach the NBA finals in 2010-2011 and 2013-2014. He led the team to the NBA championship in 2011-2012 and again in 2012-2013. He was a member of United States national teams that won gold medals at the 2008 and 2012 Olympic Summer Games. Following the 2013-2014 season, James rejoined Cleveland. He led the Cavaliers to the NBA finals four straight seasons, from 2014-2015 through 2017-2018, winning the NBA championship in 2015-2016. James joined the Los Angeles Lakers after the 2017-2018 season. He led the league in assists during the 2019-2020 season and led the Lakers to the NBA championship.

James and his high school teammates were the subjects of the documentary More Than a Game (2009). James wrote a memoir, Shooting Stars (2009), about his basketball career. He also wrote the inspirational children’s picture book I Promise (illustrated by Nina Mata, 2020). The book is related to the goals of the I Promise School, a public school for struggling students that the LeBron James Family Foundation opened in Akron. James has also worked as a producer, actor, and voice actor for a number of television and film projects. Such projects include the motion picture Space Jam: A New Legacy (2021).

Quarterback Patrick Mahomes of the Kansas City Chiefs runs the game-winning drive in Super Bowl LVII. The Chiefs beat the Philadelphia Eagles 38-35.
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The Kansas City Chiefs rallied with two fourth-quarter touchdowns to overcome a 10-point halftime deficit and defeat the Philadelphia Eagles 38-35 in Super Bowl LVII on Sunday, February 12 at State Farm Stadium in Glendale, Arizona. Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts led an aggressive Philadelphia offense, rushing for three touchdowns and passing for one more. But the Chiefs’ dynamic quarterback Patrick Mahomes, hobbled by a high ankle sprain, battled back in the second half to clinch the win. The first Super Bowl ever to feature two number-one-seeded teams, it was the second Super Bowl championship for the Chiefs in the last four years.  

The Eagles took the kickoff to open the game and drove downfield, capping the drive with a 1-yard quarterback sneak for the touchdown. The Chiefs answered immediately with a brisk three-minute drive capped by a touchdown catch by All-Pro tight end Travis Kelce. On the first play of the second quarter, Eagles receiver A.J. Brown made a spectacular 45-yard touchdown catch to regain the lead 14-7. Hurts fumbled on the next drive. Chiefs linebacker Nick Bolton grabbed the ball and sprinted 36 yards for the score, tying the game 14-14. The Eagles converted two fourth-down plays in the next drive as Hurts scored his second rushing touchdown, taking a 21-14 lead. Following a three-and-out by the Chiefs, the Eagles added a 35-yard Jake Elliott field goal to make the score 24-14 at the half.  

Caribbean superstar Rihanna floated into the Super Bowl halftime show on a glowing red platform high above the turf suspended by wires. Wearing a glossy red outfit and surrounded by backup dancers clad in white, Rihanna took to the stage for her first live performance in four years. She later revealed that she was performing while pregnant with her second child.  

The Chiefs opened the second half with a touchdown drive to cut their deficit to 24-21. Soon after, the Eagles responded with a 33-yard field goal to extend their lead 27-21. Mahomes hit back with a 5-yard touchdown pass to give the Chiefs their first lead in the game at 28-27. The Eagles followed with a three-and-out and a punt that Chiefs wide receiver Kadarius Toney returned 65 yards to the 5-yard line. The Chiefs scored three plays later on a Mahomes touchdown pass to take a 35-27 lead. The Eagles quickly bounced back as wide receiver DeVonta Smith grabbed a pass and scrambled 45 yards up the sideline to the 2-yard line. Hurts followed with his third rushing touchdown on another quarterback sneak. The 2-point conversion was good to tie the score 35-35 with just over 5 minutes remaining. But the Chiefs marched downfield, aided by a couple of key penalties, to the 2-yard line. After a couple of plays to run down the clock, Chiefs kicker Harrison Butker made the 27-yard field goal to put the score 38-35. With only seconds left and no timeouts, a Hail Mary pass by Hurts fell short to end the game.  

Hurts finished the game with 27 completions in 38 pass attempts for 304 yards. He also rushed 15 times for 70 yards and three touchdowns. Mahomes completed 21 of 27 passes for 182 yards and three touchdowns. He rushed six times for 44 yards. Mahomes, who had just been named the NFL Most Valuable Player (MVP) for the 2022 season, was also named Super Bowl MVP for the second time.  

Chelsea player Christian Pulisic during the Premier League match at the City Ground, Nottingham, on January 1, 2023.
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With the nickname “Captain America,” you know Christian Pulisic is a soccer star! At the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar, Pulisic scored the only goal against Iran, winning the game and securing the United States a spot in the knockout stage. Sadly, the team later lost to the Netherlands. Pulisic returned to England after the tournament to play for Chelsea FC in the Premier League. However, Pulisic started the new year with a new knee injury on Jan. 5th. Despite his injury, Chelsea coach Graham Potter knows Pulisic’s worth and has promised to keep Captain America playing for Chelsea.

Pulisic plays forward and right winger. He has played for the United States Men’s National Team (USMNT); in the Bundesliga, the professional soccer league in Germany; and in the Premier League in England. The Premier League is England’s highest professional soccer league. Pulisic is known for his agility, quick assists, and game-winning goals.

Pulisic was born on Sept. 18, 1998, in Hershey, Pennsylvania. His parents both played soccer at George Mason University. Pulisic’s family moved to England temporarily when he was seven. There, Pulisic played soccer with a youth team. The family then moved to Detroit, Michigan, where his father worked for the Detroit Ignition, an indoor soccer league.

The Pulisic family later returned to Hershey. At 16, Christian became eligible to play in Europe because his grandfather was Croatian. Pulisic secured dual citizenship with Croatia and a European passport. In 2015, he moved to Germany and began playing for the Borussia Dortmund team for players under 17. When Pulisic was still 16, Borussia Dortmund moved him to the under-19 league.

Pulisic began playing with the United States Men’s national team in 2016, becoming the youngest player to play in a qualifier, against Guatemala. In 2018, Pulisic became one of the youngest USMNT captains, in an international match against Italy. He won U.S. Soccer’s Male Player of the Year award in 2017, 2019, and 2021.

In 2016, coaches pulled Pulisic up to the senior team for Borussia Dortmund. Pulisic also played for Borussia Dortmund in the Europa League competition. In January 2019, Pulisic signed a contract with the prestigious Premier League club Chelsea FC. Chelsea loaned him back to Dortmund to complete the season. The transfer cost was U.S. $73 million, making Pulisic the most expensive American player and one of Dortmund’s most expensive sales in team history.

Pulisic debuted for Chelsea in August 2019. He scored three goals—a feat known as a hat trick— against Burnley in October. Pulisic became the second American to score a hat-trick in the Premier league.

Washington Capitals left wing Alex Ovechkin skates in a game against the Carolina Hurricanes.
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GOAL! In December, professional hockey player Alex Ovechkin, who plays for the Washington Capitals, became the player with the second most goals in NHL history with 802 goals. He passed Gordie Howe’s record of 801 points. Hockey star Wayne Gretzky holds the number one record with 894 goals. However, Ovechkin isn’t retiring anytime soon!

He scored two goals in a game against the Winnipeg Jets on Friday, December 23rd, 2022. His first goal of the game tied him with Howe in the first quarter. With one minute left in the third quarter, he gracefully shot the puck into the goal to beat Howe’s record. The Capitals defeated the Jets 4 to 1.

Alexander Ovechkin is a Russian-born hockey player. He is one of the stars of the National Hockey League (NHL). Ovechkin, a left wing for the Washington Capitals, led the NHL in scoring with 112 points (65 goals and 47 assists) in the 2007-2008 season. He has led the league in goals scored nine times (2007-2008, 2008-2009, 2012-2013, 2013-2014, 2014-2015, 2015-2016, 2017-2018, 2018-2019, and 2019-2020).

Ovechkin won the Hart Memorial Trophy as the NHL’s Most Valuable Player for the 2007-2008, 2008-2009, and 2012-2013 seasons. He also won the Lester B. Pearson Award (now the Ted Lindsay Award) for the 2007-2008, 2008-2009, and 2009-2010 seasons. The award is given to the most outstanding player in the NHL as voted by the league’s players. In 2018, Ovechkin led Washington to its first Stanley Cup championship. He was awarded the Conn Smythe Trophy as the Most Valuable Player in the 2018 playoffs.

Ovechkin was born on September 17th, 1985, in Moscow, U.S.S.R. (now Russia). He began playing hockey with Dynamo Moscow in the Russian Super League in 2001 at the age of 16 and spent four seasons with the team. Ovechkin was chosen by Washington as the first player selected in the 2004 NHL draft. However, he did not play with the Capitals until 2005, because the 2004-2005 NHL season was canceled due to a labor dispute between the players and owners. Ovechkin won the Calder Memorial Trophy in 2006 as the NHL Rookie of the Year. His 65 goals in 2007-2008 set an NHL record for left wingers.

Ovechkin helped the Russian national team win the men’s world championship in 2008. He played for Russia in the 2006 and 2010 Olympic Games.

Dallas Mavericks guard Luka Dončić protects the basketball in a game against the Washington Wizards.
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On Tuesday, December 27th, Dallas Mavericks guard Luka Dončić did not disappoint. He scored the highest stats in a triple-double in NBA history, scoring 60 points, grabbing 21 rebounds, and setting up 10 assists against the New York Knicks. Those are high numbers! This combination of double digits in points, rebounds, and assists is called a triple-double in basketball. Dončić joins Philadelphia 76ers player James Harden as the only player who has reached a 60-point triple-double in NBA history. Dončić stands 6 feet 7 inches (201 centimeters) in height. Born in the southern European nation of Slovenia, Dončić has gained attention for his advanced playmaking skills since he was a boy.

Dončić was born on Feb. 28, 1999, in Ljubljana, the capital of Slovenia. His father, Saša (Sasha), played professional basketball for 18 seasons and later became a coach. At Ljubljana’s Olimpija Basketball School, young Luka regularly dominated games playing against boys a few years older.

In 2012, at the age of 13, he joined the basketball academy for the Real Madrid professional team in Spain. He started playing for Real Madrid’s top-level team in 2015. In 2017, Dončić helped lead the Slovenian national team to its first victory in the European Basketball Championship, a competition also known as EuroBasket. In both 2017 and 2018, he won the Rising Star award in Spain’s ACB professional league. In 2018, Dončić helped lead Real Madrid to the Euroleague championship. He was named the Most Valuable Player of both the league and its championship tournament.

In 2018, the Atlanta Hawks selected Dončić with the third pick in the NBA Draft. Under a prearranged agreement, the Hawks immediately traded him to the Dallas Mavericks in exchange for the fifth pick—guard Trae Young—and a future draft pick. During the 2018-2019 NBA season, Dončić averaged about 21 points, 8 rebounds, and 6 assists per game. He won the NBA Rookie of the Year Award. Dončić increased his scoring, rebounding, and assist averages in his second season and was named a starter in the 2020 All-Star game.

University of Georgia tight end Brock Bowers against Texas Christian University in the second quarter of the NCAA College Football National Championship in California, on January 9, 2023.
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On Monday, January 9th, 2023, the University of Georgia Bulldogs showed up to play against the Texas Christian University (TCU) Horned Frogs at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, California. Georgia, the number one seed, only allowed the number three seed, TCU, one touchdown during the entire game. Georgia won the NCAA National Championship last year and now holds the title for two years in a row. Georgia not only won with a final score of 65 to 7, but with the 58-point lead, Georgia also secured the largest defeat in a bowl game in the history of college football.

Throughout the game, surrounded by thousands of fans, Georgia overwhelmed TCU. Georgia quarterback Stetson Bennett IV, nicknamed “the mailman,” made four passing touchdowns and two rushing touchdowns to tie with former Louisiana State University quarterback Joe Burrow’s most touchdowns scored in a game. Bennett became the first player to score at least two passing touchdowns and two rushing touchdowns in a national title game in recent history.

The game began with Georgia quickly shutting down TCU’s opening drive and answering with a rushing touchdown by Bennett. Quickly the Bulldogs regained the ball and scored a field goal to raise the score to double digits. Horned Frogs quarterback Max Duggan marched 75 yards to score TCU’s first and only touchdown of the game. It was still in the first quarter. Georgia secured three more touchdowns, unanswered, before halftime. The teams retreated to their huddles with the scoreboard displaying 38 to 7. Georgia had scored on all six of its possessions in the first half.

Soon after halftime, it became apparent that the Bulldogs had the title in the bag with a 52 to 7 lead. With such a lead, Bennett stepped out of the game at the beginning of the fourth quarter, allowing backup Branson Robinson to score two touchdowns. The Bulldogs celebrated their monumental win and senior quarterback Bennett as he moves his sights to the NFL draft.

Brazilian soccer star Pelé
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World-renowned soccer star, Pelé passed away in São Paulo, Brazil, on Thursday, December 29th. Despite retiring in 1974, Pelé still held world records for the sport. Pelé a Brazilian athlete, won fame as the greatest soccer player of his time and the most recognized athlete in world sports.

A forward, Pelé electrified crowds with his daring dribbling, perfect passing, and accurate shooting. He holds every major scoring record in Brazil, and scored 1,281 goals in 1,363 games during his professional career. Pelé is the only professional soccer player to score 1,000 goals in a career.

Pelé, a Brazilian athlete, won fame as the greatest soccer player of his time and became one of the most recognized athletes in the world. A forward, Pelé thrilled crowds with his daring dribbling, perfect passing, and accurate shooting.
Credit: © AFP/Getty Images

Pelé was born on Oct. 23, 1940, in Tres Coracoes, Brazil. His real name is Edson Arantes do Nascimento. Pelé joined the Santos (Brazil) Football Club in 1956 and led Santos to world club titles in 1962 and 1963. He is the only soccer player to have played on three world championship teams, leading the Brazilian national team to World Cup championships in 1958, 1962, and 1970. Pelé is the only player in the world who has won three World Cup championships.

In the 1958 World Cup, Pelé was 17 years old. He scored six goals in the tournament, including two in the final to defeat Sweden. His skill landed Brazil their first of five World Cups.

Pelé retired as a player in 1974 but returned to competition in 1975 with the New York Cosmos of the North American Soccer League (N.A.S.L.). Pelé retired again after leading the Cosmos to the N.A.S.L. championship in 1977. He is known for popularizing soccer in the United States. He wrote a children’s book about his life in soccer, For the Love of Soccer! (2010).

Argentinian soccer players celebrate after winning the 2022 FIFA World Cup
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Yesterday, Sunday, December 18th, Argentina and France faced each other in the 2022 FIFA World Cup Final in Qatar. In a tournament charged with controversy over the use of migrant workers to build the stadiums, a dramatic final game unfolded for millions of fans around the world. Argentina, with star player Lionel Messi, won the tournament for the first time since 1986, defeating France, the defending champions. French player Kylian Mbappé scored all three of France’s goals in regular time, securing a hat trick. It was the first hat trick in the World Cup final in 56 years. The game tied 3-3 after regulation time and two periods of extra time, bringing the legendary game to a penalty shootout. In the tie-breaking penalty shootout, Mbappé and French player Kolo Muani scored on Argentinian goalkeeper Emiliano Martínez, but their teammates missed. Messi scored Argentina’s first shoot-out penalty kick on French goalkeeper Hugo Lloris, followed by goals from Paulo Dybala, Leandro Paredes, and Gonzalo Montiel. In his first World Cup, Montiel scored to win the game for Argentina.

Argentinian Lionel Messi scores in the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar
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In what is being called the “best World Cup final ever,” star Messi clinched his first World Cup title and a legacy as one of soccer’s best players. He scored one goal in regulation time, one in extra time, and one of the penalty kicks to win the game. Argentina’s Angel Di Maria scored the other goal in regulation time. Messi and Mbappé competed for the Golden Boot, the award for the player with the most goals in the World Cup tournament. France’s Mbappé scored three goals in regulation time and one penalty kick, rightfully earning the Golden Boot. Messi and Mbappé play for Paris Saint-Germain FC, one of soccer’s top teams, competing against each other in the World Cup with their respective home countries.

Argentina’s pride and joy, Messi won the 2022 Golden Ball awarded to the best player in the World Cup, becoming the first player to win the award twice in tournament history. Messi plays as a striker, an offensive position. He has played for FC Barcelona in La Liga, Spain’s highest league, and has played for Argentina in the Olympics and the 2018 World Cup in Russia. In 2006, he became the youngest Argentine to play in a World Cup match. In 2008-2009, Messi scored 38 goals to help Barcelona win a rare “treble” of the La Liga and Copa del Rey championships in Spain, and the European Champions League title. On March 7, 2012, Messi set a Champions League record by scoring five goals against Bayer Leverkusen. In 2012, Messi scored 91 goals, the most by a player during one calendar year in professional soccer history. He holds the record for most career goals in La Liga competition with 474. Messi was awarded the Golden Ball in the 2014 World Cup tournament. Argentina lost to Germany in the final, 1-0. He again played for Argentina in the 2018 World Cup in Russia. Messi signed with Paris Saint-Germain in 2021. Despite his reputation as a soccer star, this was his first World Cup win in his 22-year career.

French soccer player Kylian Mbappé
Credit: © ph.FAB/Shutterstock

Left-wing Mbappé carried France’s team, securing all three of the country’s goals before the penalty shootout. The star won the Golden Boot award and brought his total goals scored in World Cups to 8, a few days before his 24th birthday. He won the World Cup in Russia or France in 2018, holding up the trophy as a 19-year-old. While Messi and Argentina stole the show from Mbappé this year, Mbappé has an entire career ahead of him to win the Golden Ball and another World Cup title.

French soccer player Kylian Mbappé
Credit: © ph.FAB/Shutterstock

France secured a spot in the semifinals of the FIFA World Cup in Qatar after defeating England this Saturday, December 11th. France’s star player Kylian Mbappé is stealing the show as the top scorer in the entire tournament. Scoring 5 goals in 4 games, 23-year-old Mbappé is solidifying his reputation as one of the world’s best soccer players. Mbappé has also clocked speeds up to 22 miles (35 kilometers) per hour, the fastest speed in the tournament so far. In another historical record, Morocco beat Portugal on Saturday, becoming the first African and first Arab country to reach the World Cup semifinals. France will pair up against Morocco on Wednesday, December 14th, to see who moves on to the finals.

Kylian Mbappé Lottin was born on Dec. 20, 1998, in Paris. Mbappé’s mother is from Algeria and his father is from Cameroon. He grew up in Bondy, a suburb of Paris. Mbappé began playing soccer at a young age. He stars for France’s Paris Saint-Germain FC (commonly known as PSG), one of soccer’s top teams. FC stands for football club. Mbappé also plays for the French national team, commonly known as les Bleus (the Blues). As a forward, Mbappé’s primary responsibility is scoring goals. Mbappé is known for his dexterity in using both feet, speed, intelligent plays, and composure in front of the goal.

Mbappé is used to the spotlight. Mbappé began his professional career with AS Monaco FC of Ligue 1, France’s top soccer league, in 2015, when he was only 16 years old. AS stands for association sportive, or sporting association. In 2017, Mbappé helped Monaco win the Ligue 1 title. Later that year, he joined PSG. Mbappé has helped PSG win four Ligue 1 titles, in 2018, 2019, 2020, and 2022. He has been named the Ligue 1 player of the year three times. Mbappé has led Ligue 1 in goals scored four times.

In 2017, Mbappé debuted for the French national team. The following year, he helped France win the FIFA World Cup. During the 2018 World Cup tournament in Russia, Mbappé became only the second teenager, after the Brazilian star Pelé, to score a goal in a World Cup championship game. He scored the final goal to defeat Croatia 4 to 2, securing his first World Cup championship. Mbappé was named the French Player of the Year in 2018 and 2019.