Xabi Alonso, the coach of Real Madrid, praised the exceptional level of the French striker Kylian Mbappé, who scored 25 out of 44 goals for the team this season, considering his impact on the team puts him on par with the club's legend Cristiano Ronaldo, in terms of "influence within the group," "ambition" that he provides his teammates, and "number of goals" he scores.
Alonso refused to prefer one over the other, affirming, as someone who experienced Ronaldo as a player in Real Madrid, and currently leads Mbappé as a coach, that each of them represents a landmark in football.
He said in a press conference on the eve of the match against Celta Vigo in "La Liga": "Kylian is on his way to making history with Real Madrid, just as Cristiano did, there are many similarities: his influence within the team, his ambition, and the number of goals he scores"."
He added: "He is about to make history.. Working with him daily is enjoyable, he has a constant desire to impact his teammates, and this is a trait he shares with Cristiano; the ambition he conveys to everyone.. Yes, I see similarities between them, and he is currently having a wonderful time"."
In the same way he avoided settling the comparison between Iker Casillas and Thibaut Courtois previously, Alonso chose the same path in comparing Ronaldo and Mbappé, saying with a smile: "Cristiano is Cristiano, and Kylian is Kylian... Both are exceptional"".
He concluded: "Both of these players have left and are leaving a historic mark, whether in Real Madrid or in world football, we are fortunate to have Mbappé now, and we must take advantage of this matter"".
