Kylian Mbappe has expressed his disappointment at never having the opportunity to play alongside Cristiano Ronaldo. A lifelong Real Madrid fan, Mbappe has often cited Ronaldo as his “idol,” a feeling that his father also expressed. As a child, the French forward framed his bedroom walls with posters of the Portuguese legend.
The two have played against each other before, but only as rivals. Ronaldo scored three goals in two matches when Madrid defeated Mbappe’s Paris Saint-Germain in the 2017/18 Champions League round of 16, and they have also clashed three times on the international stage with Portugal and France.
“I’ve played with great players: Lionel Messi, Neymar, [Antoine] Griezmann, [Paul] Pogba, [Karim] Benzema… It would have been fun to play with Cristiano Ronaldo,” Mbappe told in an interview with BEIN Sports.
“It’s going to be very difficult now, but I was lucky enough to play against him, a sports legend.” he added.
🗣️ Kylian Mbappé: “Player I’d have liked to play with? I’d say Zidane. I played with great players: Messi, Neymar, Griezmann, Pogba, Benzema.
It’d have been fun to play with Cristiano Ronaldo, but it’d be very complicated now. I was lucky to play against him. Legend.” @marca pic.twitter.com/8ug9ZmcLki
— Madrid Xtra (@MadridXtra) December 19, 2024
Since joining Madrid in the summer after leaving PSG, Mbappe has already made an impact, playing a key role in securing the Intercontinental Cup on Wednesday. This victory marked his second major trophy with the Spanish club, following the UEFA Super Cup in August, solidifying his place among the club’s elite.
However,, Mbappe understands he has a long road ahead to match Ronaldo’s extraordinary achievements at the Santiago Bernabeu. Ronaldo, who netted an incredible 450 goals in 438 appearances for Madrid, remains the club’s all-time top scorer. Mbappe, with 13 goals in 23 matches so far, recognizes the immense challenge of replicating such a legacy.
Having played 342 matches alongside Ronaldo at Madrid, Benzema is said to be considering retirement with Al Ittihad next summer, with plans already in place for him to return to his former club in an ambassadorial capacity once he hangs up his boots.
Mbappe is poised to take the field again on Sunday when Real Madrid face Sevilla in an important La Liga clash. Meanwhile, Ronaldo is enjoying a well-deserved winter break in Riyadh and will resume play with Al-Nassr on January 9 against Al-Akhdoud in the Saudi Pro League.
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Mohd Faisal Hakak is a sports author from Kashmir. He likes to keep tabs on the sporting world with a keen interest in football, motorsports, NBA, and other marquee sports. He is a science graduate from Islamia College Srinagar.
