Anelka: Mbappe Has Been At PSG Longer, He Is Number One, Messi Must Be A Passer

JAKARTA - Paris Saint-Germain should use Lionel Messi as a feeder for Kylian Mbappe, and not the other way around, at least according to Nicolas Anelka.

The former France forward has great admiration for the PSG striker's abilities, and he thinks that even Messi should adapt his game to suit the World Cup winner's attributes.

"Mbappe has to lead the attack because he is number one," Anelka told Le Parisien. "Messi was at Barcelona, ​​but now he has to serve Mbappe.

"He (Mbappe) has been at the club for five years and Messi has to respect that."

Mbappe is expected to leave the Parc des Princes for Real Madrid next summer, and Anelka understands his desire to leave France if he is to continue and win the Ballon d'Or.

"He's a phenomenal player in terms of speed, there's no one better on the planet," said Anelka. "If Paris wants to have the best team, they have to do everything they can to keep it.

"But I think it's very clear in Kylian's head. He wants to see something else, and that makes sense. He dreams of the Ballon d'Or, and how can he win it if he plays in the sixth best league based on UEFA coefficients?

"If Kylian had been in England or Spain for the last three years, he would have won the Ballon d'Or."

Messi's arrival so far has not been smooth sailing, and there was some controversy when Mauricio Pochettino opted to replace him in pursuit of a goal in the recent win against Lyon. However, it was later discovered that the Argentine player was injured.

"Absolutely," said Anelka, when asked if he understood Messi's frustration with the substitution.

"You don't replace a six-time Ballon d'Or winner in the 65th minute, when he hasn't scored for his team.