Mbappé: Cristiano Ronaldo, idol and absolute reference at Real Madrid

Mbappé: Cristiano Ronaldo, an icon at Real Madrid and my mentor

In a recent interview, Kylian Mbappé revealed his admiration for Cristiano Ronaldo, highlighting his influence and considering him a role model. The Real Madrid striker, in his first season, has expressed his respect for the club legend, who marked a golden era at the Santiago Bernabéu. Ronaldo, with 450 goals in nine seasons with Real Madrid, left an indelible mark, winning 16 titles, including four Champions League. Mbappé seeks to emulate that success, and has already had a significant impact in his debut season, scoring 44 goals. Currently, he has 14 goals in the current campaign.

Kylian Mbappé has turned to Cristiano Ronaldo for advice, acknowledging his impact on the team. “Cristiano has always been a role model for me. I am lucky enough to speak with him, he gives me advice, he has helped me. I think he is still number one in Madrid,” Mbappé declared.

He is the benchmark for Real Madrid players, who has done a lot. The fans still dream of Cristiano. But I want to follow my own path.

Kylian Mbappé

Despite their goal-scoring performance, Real Madrid did not achieve any significant titles last season. Currently, they lead LaLiga after eight matchdays, with a two-point advantage over Barcelona, although they suffered a defeat against Atlético de Madrid. Regarding the relationship with his teammates, Mbappé highlighted his good connection with Vinícius Júnior. “We have a very good relationship with Vinicius. It’s much better this year, because we know each other better,” he stated. Mbappé scored for France in the World Cup qualifying victory against Azerbaijan, but was substituted due to an ankle injury. France is one of the favorites to win the 2026 World Cup, although Mbappé considers Spain a strong contender.