Mbappe concludes 2019 in U21 best rated XI across Europe
Here we run through the final best rated U21 XI of 2019 from the weekend's action in Europe's top five leagues.
Goalkeeper: Alban Lafont (Nantes) - 7.16 rating
Nantes finished the year with a 2-1 defeat at home to Angers but it would have been worse had it not been for Alban Lafont in goal. The Fiorentina loanee made five saves and won two aerial duels.
Centre-back: Alessandro Bastoni (Inter) - 7.50 rating
Inter concluded 2019 with a comfortable 4-0 home win over Genoa and young centre-back Alessandro Bastoni turned in another eye-catching display. The 20-year-old made four tackles and interceptions combined, as well as completing one dribble and one key pass.
Centre-back: Sebastiaan Bornauw (FC Koeln) - 7.77 rating
Sebastiaan Bornauw could not manage to score for a third straight game by he does make it a hat-trick of consecutive appearances in our best rated XI. The 20-year-old played a key role at the back in FC Koeln's 1-0 home win over Werder Bremen with six aerial duels won and five tackles and interceptions combined.
Centre-back: Dayot Upamecano (RB Leipzig) - 7.58 rating
RB Leipzig head into the winter break on top of the Bundesliga table after their 3-1 win at home to Augsburg at the weekend. Dayot Upamecano started the season out of the team but is now very much in favour. The Arsenal target won five aerial duels and made eight tackles and interceptions combined against Augsburg.
Right wing: Nicolo Zaniolo (Roma) - 9.17 rating
Nicolo Zaniolo registered a goal and an assist in the same league match for the first time this season, as Roma thumped Fiorentina 4-1 away from home in their last game of 2019. Zaniolo registered three key passes in total, completed five dribbles and won six fouls against the Viola.
Central midfield: Manuel Locatelli (Sassuolo) - 8.66 rating
Sassuolo youngster Manuel Locatelli makes the XI for the second week in succession after impressing in a 2-1 defeat at home to Napoli. Sassuolo took the lead thanks to Locatelli's assist and the former AC Milan midfielder created a further three goalscoring chances. He also made four tackles and interceptions combined.
Central midfield: Alexis Claude-Maurice (Nice) - 7.95 rating
Alexis Claude-Maurice registered his first goal involvement of the season, providing an assist in Nice's 3-0 win at home to Toulouse. The 20-year-old notably completed six dribbles at the weekend, a personal record in a Ligue 1 match this season.
Central midfield: Martin Odegaard (Real Sociedad) - 7.88 rating
Martin Odegaard finished the calendar year on a bang with a goal and an assist in Real Sociedad's thrilling 4-3 win at Osasuna. The Real Madrid loanee set up Sociedad's opener before putting his side 3-0 up in the first 30 minutes with a wonderful free-kick.
Left wing: Hamed Traore (Sassuolo) - 7.86 rating
Sassuolo eventually fell to defeat to Napoli but Hamed Traore gave his side a first half lead. The 19-year-old has now scored in successive matches and against Napoli he registered five key passes and completed three dribbles.
Striker: Sebastiano Esposito (Inter) - 8.17 rating
Inter academy graduate Sebastiano Esposito celebrated his first goal for his boyhood club after converting from the spot in their win over Genoa. The 17-year-old had three shots in total, while impressively completing six tackles and interceptions combined up front.
Striker: Kylian Mbappe (Paris Saint-Germain) - 9.35 rating
Saving the best until last, Kylian Mbappe is the best rated youngster in Europe's top five leagues from the weekend's action. The Paris Saint-Germain striker scored a brace in a 4-1 home win over Amiens to finish the first half of the season with 11 goals in 12 league appearances.
