Mbappé: Cristiano Ronaldo, idol and reference at Real Madrid

Mbappé: Cristiano Ronaldo Remains Number One at Real Madrid

Kylian Mbappé has expressed his admiration for Cristiano Ronaldo, considering him a “role model” and revealing that he seeks advice from the Al Nassr star. The Real Madrid striker, who has had an immediate impact upon his arrival at the club, highlighted Ronaldo’s influence on his career. Ronaldo, Mbappé’s childhood idol, left an indelible mark on Real Madrid, scoring 450 goals in nine seasons and winning 16 titles, including four Champions League titles. Mbappé, with 44 goals in his debut season and 14 in the current one, seeks to emulate the Portuguese’s success.

Mbappé stated that Ronaldo “remains number one” at Real Madrid. “I am fortunate to speak with him, he gives me advice, he helps me. I think he is still number one in Madrid. He is the benchmark for Real Madrid players, he has done a lot. The fans still dream of Cristiano. But I want to follow my own path.”

Cristiano has always been a role model for me.

Kylian Mbappé

The interview was broadcast on Sunday, where Mbappé also spoke about the defeat against Atlético de Madrid and his relationship with Vinícius Júnior. Regarding the relationship with his teammate Vinícius Júnior, Mbappé commented: “Two famous players on the same team: that sells newspapers. But the truth is that I have a very good relationship with Vinicius. It’s much better this year, because we know each other better.” In the international arena, Mbappé scored for France in the victory over Azerbaijan, but was substituted due to an ankle injury, similar to the one suffered with Real Madrid. Mbappé admitted that he sees Spain as a serious contender to win the 2026 World Cup. “For me, Spain is the best team in Europe right now. But the World Cup is different.”