Rio Ferdinand believes Kylian Mbappe's directness sets him apart from Manchester United player Marcus Rashford.
Mbappe's rise in world football has been meteoric. He became the second-most expensive player of all-time when his permanent move to Paris Saint-Germain was finalised for £163million in 2018 — the same year he became a World Cup winner aged just 19.
Rashford is 14 months older than Mbappe but it is the Frenchman who is widely regarded to be the world's elite young player, and Ferdinand believes Rashford needs to add a ruthless streak to his game to move onto Mbappe's level.
"I think this lad (Rashford) could definitely be world class if he keeps improving and adding bits to his game," Ferdinand told BT Sport. "I think he needs to add the poacher's element to his game, a couple of scruffy goals a season.
"You can get that, Wayne Rooney signed for Manchester United, he scored outrageous goals, that's what was he known for. He did outrageous things on the football pitch but he added it to his game.
"He became someone obsessed with scoring goals who worked out ways to add to his repertoire and add to what he had.
"Marcus in that sense scores fantastic goals and he creates fantastic goals. If he can get that ugly side to his game, I know it's not fashionable sometimes, getting in the six-yard box, getting a bit sticky around bodies, this kid could go on to be unbelievable.
"The difference between those two players, Mbappe and Rashford, I'm on the edge of my seat, every single time because I know the first thing in his mind is to shape up and hurt you.
"Then he'll pass it if he can't. Marcus, gets it, has a look, plays it. There's a difference of when to go for that killer moment."
