Kylian Mbappé had a quiet first half against England on Saturday — and that was enough to ignite a wave of meme token trading on Solana. According to a report from Crypto Briefing, unauthorized tokens are now exploiting the French star's World Cup moments, with traders piling into speculative assets tied to his performance.
The halftime trigger
Mbappé, often the focal point of France's attack, was unusually subdued in the opening 45 minutes against England. That lull didn't go unnoticed by crypto degens. Within minutes, multiple Solana-based meme tokens referencing Mbappé's quiet half appeared on decentralized exchanges. The tokens have no official affiliation with the player or his sponsors.
Unauthorized tokens, real volume
Crypto Briefing identified several tokens that use Mbappé's name and image without permission. The tokens are minted on Solana, taking advantage of the network's low fees and fast settlement. Trading volumes spiked during the halftime break, though the report did not specify exact figures. The tokens are not listed on major centralized exchanges, meaning most activity is happening on Solana DEXs like Raydium and Orca.
Celebrity meme tokens keep coming
This isn't the first time a World Cup moment has been tokenized without consent. But the speed of the reaction — within minutes of a quiet half — shows how tightly meme-token traders now watch live sports. The tokens are likely to be short-lived, as most celebrity-themed meme coins lose value quickly after the initial hype fades.
What happens next
France still has a second half to play. If Mbappé scores or assists, expect another wave of tokens. If he stays quiet, the existing ones will probably dump. Either way, the unauthorized tokens will remain online until Solana validators or the platforms decide to act — or until the next match provides fresh material.
