On this day in 2016, a certain Kylian Mbappe announced himself to the world in spectacular fashion.
Having already created history as Monaco 's youngest-ever first-team player at the tender age of 16 years and 347 days, surpassing a 21-year record set by none other than Thierry Henry, Mbappe well and truly thrust himself into football's limelight in the Coupe de la Ligue against Rennes.
A free-scoring Monaco smashed their Ligue 1 rivals for seven in the cup's round of 16 at the Stade Louis II and a fresh-faced, 17-year-old Mbappe stole all the plaudits, hitting a hat-trick and providing the footballing world with a glimpse of just what was to come.
Five years on from that fateful day, Mirror Football take a closer look at the landmark moment, profile his stunning rise to stardom and bring you all the latest on that most captivating of conundrums: what next for Mbappe?
Have Your Say! Where will Kylian Mbappe be playing his football next season? Let us know in the comments here.
A first hat-trick
Having only signed his first professional contract in March of 2016, Mbappe seized his chance when handed a start against Rennes in December of the same year.
The 17-year-old opened the scoring in a style we have become so accustomed to seeing, galloping down the left wing and leaving defenders for dead before coolly slotting home.
The French prodigy then doubled Monaco's lead, and his personal tally for the night, as a high press led to Rennes squandering possession and Mbappe tapping in to an empty net.
Shortly after the hour mark, the teenage sensation then completed a historic hat-trick, finishing off a fine move that saw Joao Moutinho put it on a plate.
That night, Mbappe became the first Monaco player to hit a treble in the competition since Sonny Anderson in 1997 and the rest, as they say, is history.
The rise of Mbappe
A first Ligue 1 hat-trick was achieved in the following February as Mbappe soon established himself as a Monaco mainstay and one of the hottest talents in world football.
The youngster went on to net 26 goals in 44 matches in all competitions as he helped fire a star-studded Monaco to the Ligue 1 title.
But it wasn't just domestically where Mbappe was making a name for himself as he sent shockwaves around Europe following his performances in the Champions League.
He became the second youngest French scorer in the competition's history after netting in Monaco's 5-3 round of 16 first leg match against Manchester City, but he wasn't finished yet.
A strike in the return leg saw Monaco beat City 3-1 and progress courtesy of the away goals rule.
The Champions League dream would later come to an end at the semi-final stage but only after Mbappe hit four more strikes against Borussia Dortmund and Juventus.
This season was the start of something special.
PSG promin ence
When the nouveau riche of French football, Paris Saint-Germain came knocking, Mbappe simply couldn't refuse.
After joining on an initial loan August 2017, the frighteningly fast forward joined the Parisiens on a permanent basis for an eye-watering £160m (€180m) fee. But it's very much looked like money well spent.
Since scoring on his PSG debut back in September of 2017, Mbappe has gone on to hit a staggering 145 goals in 194 appearances, helping the club to ten trophies in that time, including three Ligue 1 titles.
If that wasn't enough, Mbappe became just the second teenager after Pele to score in a World Cup Final, as Les Bleus claimed global domination, before backing it up with the 2020-21 Nations League crown.
Monaco's vice-president Vadim Vasilyev once told CNN that Mbappe was a "phenomenon" even before he hit that iconic hat-trick against Rennes on this day five years ago, and he was certainly not wrong.
What next?
After establishing himself as one of the world's greatest players and having achieved notable success with PSG, one question remains on everyone's lips: what next for Mbappe?
This summer saw an epic transfer tug-of-war as PSG desperately tried to retain their prized asset amid reports of a failed £200m bid from Real Madrid and his desire to move to the Spanish capital.
To add fuel to an already ablaze transfer saga, the pair of European giants have been drawn together in the Champions League round of 16.
While Los Blancos president Florentino Perez has reportedly claimed he'll show more respect in Real's pursuit of Mbappe going forward by waiting until after the two-legged tie has been resolved before announcing a possible agreement, it appears the transfer saga is set to take a new twist.
According to French journalist Hadrien Grenier, discussions over an extension for Mbappe at PSG have resumed as the French giants fight to keep the reluctant 22-year-old in Paris and avoid losing him on a free, when his current deal expires, next summer.
Watch this space.
