The extraordinary performance at the 2018 FIFA World Cup in Russia has not only made Kylian Mbappe the new kid on block in world football but also the most valuable property in the post-Ronaldo and Messi generation.
The rat race for attracting Mbappe with big money and high hopes has already begun among some of the richest clubs in Europe.
The grapevines have been abuzz for a while about a possible record transfer for the Paris Saint-Germain footballer.
However, the spotters and officials of one of the big buck clubs, Chelsea, are surely privately expressing their penitence over letting the star slip away from their hands even after grabbing him as a starry-eyed youngster a few years back.
According to a Goal.com report, former Blues scout Daniel Boga spotted the raw talent in one of the suburbs of the French capital and helped him to land up in West London when Mbappe was just 13. But the ever-conservative bosses at the Stamford Bridge remained indecisive and their efforts to buy time on the exciting youngster let the opportunity slip out of their hands.
Kylian Mbappe is pictured next to a childhood photo of himself in front of a PSG logo as he speaks during a press conference on his first presentation in Paris, September 6, 2017. /VCG Photo
"Chelsea was the first one to give him a trial. We did it before Real Madrid. I had a friend who worked for Nike, when we met in France, he said, "Have you heard of this young boy called Mbappe? He plays for Bondy, the small club from the suburbs of Paris," Boga revealed In an interview.
"I brought him over with his family. He was skillful, like he is now. He played against Charlton and won 7-0."
However, according to Boga, after a week at Chelsea the club told Mbappe and his family: "Listen, we appreciate what we saw from you but we have to invite you back for another trial and we'll see after that."
That turned out to be a costly mistake for the Blues as Mbappe's mother Fayza Lamari, sensing her son's future running out of time, pulled the plug.
"I remember what the mother said on that day. She spoke in French to Fraser and I was translating. She said to me: 'Listen, my boy won't be coming back. If they want him they have to take him now or in five years' time they will be coming back to buy him for 50 million euros'.
Kylian Mbappe (L) kisses the FIFA World Cup alongside France coach Didier Deschamps after the UEFA Nations League match between France and Netherlands, September 9, 2018. /VCG Photo
"She was right, though. It wasn't even 50 million euros but 180 million euros that someone would pay. So, she knew the quality of her son and she was right."
Incidentally, even before Boga's disclosure came, Mbappe mentioned his short and not so sweet Chelsea experience to another leading portal on the game.
According to a published report, Mbappe had said, "It was a wonderful experience. Chelsea was the first great club, the first big club, that I went to visit. So it was a real discovery for me."
Six years have passed since that unforgettable trial and now, at 19, Mbappe is reportedly attracting the interest of some of the leading clubs like Real Madrid, Manchester City, Bayern Munich, Liverpool and Arsenal.
The possible next big transfer in world football will surely rub some salt in the wounds of the Blues.