Ethan Mbappé to start for Lille at Toulouse after impressing against PSG

Ethan Mbappé is set to start on the right wing of Lille’s attack on Thursday evening at Toulouse in the advanced fixture of Ligue 1 Matchday 3. The attacking midfielder is included in the squad selected by Davide Ancelotti for this trip to the Pink City.

The selection comes a week after the player’s performance against his former club PSG in a 2-2 draw that caught attention. His direct rival, Dilane Bakwa, who made a notable substitute appearance against the defending European champions, is expected to start on the bench.

The Lille squad also welcomes two summer signings: Japanese striker Ayase Ueda and Danish midfielder Maurits Kjærgaard, both present for this trip.

Ethan Mbappé’s performance against Paris drew praise from French football circles. Pundit Walid Acherchour notably defended him: « We need to open his file, because this is becoming very serious. This guy, footballistically, speaks to me. He has a connection with the rest of his team, he has a footballing sense that I like. » Acherchour also highlighted the player’s room for improvement: « He is still young. But what he is showing is really very strong. He scores in big matches. He is not a small player. »

At 19 years old, Kylian Mbappé’s younger brother is gradually establishing himself as a full-fledged part of Lille’s setup, far from the label of a privileged player that some had attached to him at the start of his career.