Mbappe upstaged Messi in February when he scored a stunning
hat trick in PSG's emphatic 4-1 victory at Barcelona in the Champions League,
which helped them progress into the quarterfinals.
The France international has also matched Ronaldo's scoring
record this season with both contributing 30 goals in all competitions -- one
more than Messi.
The 22-year-old said that his mindset on the pitch enables him
to believe he is the best footballer in the world.
"The ego? Of course, it's important because when you're
in the rough, no one else is going to push you," Mbappe told RMC Sport.
"And you have to convince yourself that you are capable of toppling mountains.
"People don't understand ego but when you are not well
there is no one who will come to your house to tell you that you can do that.
It's just you and your mindset. It's just you. You have to convince yourself
that you are capable of doing great things.
"Every time I go on a pitch I always tell myself that
I'm the best and yet I have played on grounds where there was Messi and
Cristiano Ronaldo.
"They are better players than me, they have done a
billion more things than me. But, in my head, I always tell myself that I'm the
best because that way you don't give yourself limits and you try to give your
best."
Mbappe has enjoyed an impressive campaign so far and became
the youngest player to score 100 goals in Ligue 1 when PSG defeated Lyon before
the international break.
The forward is tipped to become the next global football
star and has already won the World Cup and four French league titles.
"Of course, sometimes people do not understand because
I think there is perhaps also this barrier which is created in relation to this
subject, where one does not really explain what the ego is," he added.
"For people, the ego is just not giving a friend a
penalty, having a better salary than the player of the rival team. It's not
just that, it's also in the preparation.
"It's a personal thing, to surpass yourself, it's way
beyond that superficial thing of saying 'me, me.' But I think there is quite a
bit to be said about it."