Khaberni - French international Kylian Mbappé, Real Madrid star, emphasized that he considers the Portuguese Cristiano Ronaldo, the legendary Merengue, as a role model to follow.
Mbappé stated, in an interview with the Spanish network "Movistar": "Cristiano Ronaldo has always been a model and example for me, I am lucky that I can speak with him, he gives me advice and helps me, and I believe that in Madrid he is number one and the reference player for the club."
He added, "People in Madrid still dream of Cristiano Ronaldo with everything he has achieved, but I want to carve my own path, and I hope that people will dream of me too, and that I will be in a historic moment for me, and hopefully for Real Madrid as well. Cristiano Ronaldo is the all-time top scorer for Real Madrid, as well as leading the team to a huge number of domestic and continental championships."
Regarding playing with the other legend, Argentine Lionel Messi, at Paris Saint-Germain, he said: "Playing with Messi was a blessing, I did not expect to play with him, because my dream was always to play with Real Madrid, and I never imagined that I would play in Barcelona." Messi and Mbappé teamed up for two seasons at Paris Saint-Germain after the Argentine flea left Barcelona.
Mbappé was injured during his participation with the French team, ruling him out of the upcoming Iceland match and returning to continue his treatment at the club.
The French team announced today, Sunday, the name of its new captain during the current international break, in the absence of its first captain, Kylian Mbappé.
Didier Deschamps, the coach of the French team, announced Mbappé's departure from the camp due to an injury against Azerbaijan, without calling up a replacement player.
Deschamps revealed in statements to the press, the selection of goalkeeper Mike Maignan as captain of Les Bleus against Iceland tomorrow, Monday.
Deschamps said "Mike Maignan will wear the captain's armband for France against Iceland tomorrow."
Mbappé suffered an injury to his right ankle during France's encounter against Azerbaijan, and during his exit from the field, he handed the band to Maignan.
The French team doctor informed Deschamps of the difficulty for Mbappé to participate in the Iceland match.
Mbappé's recurrent injuries
The French star's career was not without obstacles, primarily injuries, which started in 2019 with a thigh muscle problem, sidelining him for weeks, followed by recurring muscle injuries from time to time.
In Euro 2020, Mbappé appeared physically tired after a demanding season, affecting his performance, and he suffered from muscle fatigue in the later rounds of the 2022 World Cup in Qatar.
The muscle problems with him continued into the 2023-2024 season, raising concerns at his new club Real Madrid after his transfer.
The medical team of the French national team and the club are working on regulating Mbappé's participations to avoid exhaustion, which was confirmed in more than one international break since his arrival at Real Madrid, where Deschamps sometimes excluded him by agreement with the player himself and his club.
Despite this, the risk of injuries remains the biggest concern ahead of a star aiming to establish his status as a future legend in global football; maintaining his fitness is the real key to achieving his dream of winning the Ballon d'Or and leading his team to major titles.
The historical throne
Apart from the injury that Mbappé suffered, the French striker successfully continued his scoring streak for the tenth consecutive match with the club and the national team, reaching 14 goals and 4 decisive assists.
The French striker also reached his 53rd international goal with the Les Bleus shirt.
Mbappé is determined to become the all-time top scorer for the French team, a goal that seems within reach given his amazing scoring rate despite his young age.
The current French star is close to reaching Olivier Giroud's record holding number, having narrowed the gap between them to just 4 goals, separating him from the throne of the all-time top scorer for the French national team.
The road to royal glory
Since his transfer to Real Madrid in the summer of 2024, talk about him has not stopped in the corridors of global football.
Mbappé did not disappoint the tremendous expectations that accompanied his deal, and delivered a stellar performance with the Merengue shirt.
The French star quickly gelled with his teammates, especially Vinicius Junior and Jude Bellingham, forming a formidable offensive force.
Mbappé has become the team's top scorer since his arrival at the club: 44 goals last season across all competitions, earning him the European Golden Boot.
What distinguishes Mbappé's brilliance in Madrid is not just the abundance of goals, but his decisive impact in big matches, where he scored in the Clásico against Barcelona, and in strong Champions League encounters against clubs like Manchester City.
Mbappé has also become a new symbol of Real Madrid's special sports project led by President Florentino Perez to build a new golden generation aimed at regaining control over Europe.
With this outstanding level, it seems that Kylian is steadily advancing towards writing a new chapter of glory in the history of Real Madrid, potentially becoming one of the greatest to have graced the club, and possibly soon the leading candidate to win the Ballon d'Or.
