As French soccer star KylianMbappe gears up for the World Cup final on Sunday in Qatar, the striker's presence is also felt strongly in Bondy, the unassuming satellite city of Paris where he grew up.
"Ah, Kylian, the rising star - the star of the stars," said Kamel Ghehioueche, 41, bundled up in front of the city hall, an austere, concrete building from the 1960s, as parking agents cleared a lot for the Christmas market. Local enthusiasm for the city's favorite son is palpable, piercing through the winter gloom ahead of Sunday's match between the reigning champions and Argentina.
For his second World Cup final, Mbappe, 23, will be playing against his Paris St Germain team mate Lionel Messi.
"Kiki, we love you!" said Melissa Toumi, 28, who crossed paths with Mbappe during his youth, training on the soccer pitch.
In the parking lot of burger joint Harry's Cafe, the famous striker's image towers behind her, blanketing one side of a 10-story building.
"We want the third star," said her friend DouniaZeghadi, 34, referring to another star on the French team's jersey signifying their third World Cup victory after their previous two in 1998 and 2018, where Mbappe shot to fame.
"Kylian, bring home the prize, inshallah," said Frikhi Mansour, who recalled regularly cutting Mbappe's hair when he was young.
