Real Madrid forward reveals the Portuguese “gives me advice”
Kylian Mbappe has hailed Cristiano Ronaldo as the role model for any Real Madrid player but said he wants to follow his own path.
Mbappe revealed in an interview with Movistar that he is still in contact with Ronaldo and the Portuguese legend has offered him advice since his move to the Spanish capital last year.
“Cristiano has always been a role model for me,” said Mbappe. “I’m lucky enough to talk to him, he gives me advice, he’s helped me.
“I think in Madrid he’s still the number one. He’s the reference point for Real Madrid players, who’s done a lot. The fans still dream about Cristiano. But I want to follow my own path.”
Ronaldo carved for himself a legacy as one of the best players of all time at Madrid, scoring an incredible 450 goals in 438 appearances.
Replicating anything even close to that would be a mammoth feat for any player, but Mbappe has started his own Madrid career in highly impressive fashion. He scored 44 goals in his debut campaign and has already netted 14 times in 10 appearances this season for the club.
Madrid’s goals have fired Madrid to the top of the La Liga table this season with an almost perfect start, their one loss being a heavy 5-2 defeat to local rivals Atletico Madrid in September.
“They came to play a derby, and us… we did too, but without putting any intensity into the duels, the crosses,” said Mbappe. “They won all the duels. It’s hard to win a game like that.”
The forward has also been in brilliant form for his country, scoring three times in his last three appearances to take his total goals for France to 53, four short of matching Olivier Giroud’s all-time record of 57.
The 2018 World Cup winner believes he has a very good chance of claiming the prestigious trophy with France again in next year’s tournament, despite the impressive form of rival European team and Euro 2024 winners Spain.
“For me, [Spain] are the best team in Europe right now,” said Mbappe. “But the World Cup is different.”
