Kylian Mbappé rarely gives major interviews, but he recently accepted an invitation from former top footballer Jorge Valdano. In his football program on Spanish television, Valdano questioned Mbappé about, among others, Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo.
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Kylian Mbappé has rarely been one to open up in long interviews, preferring instead to let his performances on the pitch speak for themselves.
Yet when former Real Madrid legend Jorge Valdano invited him for an in-depth conversation on Spanish television, the French striker accepted, offering rare insights into his career, his inspirations, and the two players who have defined an era of world football: Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo.
The Paris-born forward, now the centerpiece of Real Madrid’s future project, spoke with particular admiration when recalling his time as a teammate of Lionel Messi at Paris Saint-Germain. "What surprised me is how normal he is in the dressing room," Mbappé admitted. "He arrived with respect for everyone, and as a player he is unique. You had to keep a close eye on him, watch how he touched the ball, how he finished, how he saw the game. Having him close to me helped me understand football so much better."
For Mbappé, sharing the pitch with Messi was not only a privilege but also a formative experience. The Argentine superstar, already a seven-time Ballon d’Or winner when he joined PSG in 2021, brought with him not only unmatched technical brilliance but also humility, something Mbappé found deeply inspiring. "It was a blessing to play with Leo," he continued. "I never thought it would actually happen. My dream was always to play for Real Madrid, and I assumed he would stay at Barcelona forever. To have the chance to learn from him, to see his daily dedication and the way he reads the game, I am very grateful. He is truly a special player."
Messi and Mbappé shared two seasons together in Paris, from 2021 to 2023, during which time PSG dominated domestically but fell short in their ultimate quest for Champions League glory. Despite that, Mbappé insists that the experience of playing alongside Messi, as well as Neymar, enriched his understanding of the sport and sharpened his own ambitions.
But when the conversation shifted to Real Madrid, the club Mbappé now represents and long considered his dream destination, another name inevitably came up: Cristiano Ronaldo. Around the Santiago Bernabéu, Ronaldo remains the ultimate reference point, the man whose legacy still casts a giant shadow over the club.
Although Mbappé never had the chance to share a team with the Portuguese forward, he revealed that he maintains a personal relationship with the five-time Ballon d’Or winner. "Yes, I’m lucky that he gives me advice," Mbappé explained. "He is the man at Real Madrid, truly the reference point. Even now, people still dream about him. He is not just a player in the club’s history, he is the icon, the standard everyone measures themselves against."
Ronaldo’s name is etched in the history of the club: 450 goals in 438 games, four Champions League titles, and countless unforgettable moments. For Mbappé, stepping into the Bernabéu with that legacy in the background is both inspiring and daunting. "I want to follow my own path," he stressed. "I don’t want to be a copy of anyone, not even of Cristiano, who is one of the greatest ever. I hope that one day people will dream about me too. Let it become historic, for me and for Real Madrid."
Mbappé’s comments underline the delicate balance he must strike as he begins his chapter in Madrid. On the one hand, he is openly inspired by Messi’s humility and Ronaldo’s relentless ambition. On the other, he is determined to carve out his own identity, not simply living in the shadow of football’s two modern giants.
The French captain, who led his national team to World Cup glory in 2018 and came agonizingly close to repeating the feat in 2022, knows that expectations at Real Madrid are unlike anywhere else. Fans and pundits alike will measure his performances not just against the present but against the legacy of those who came before him. Still, Mbappé appears ready for the challenge, embracing both the pressure and the responsibility that come with wearing the famous white shirt.
His reflections on Messi and Ronaldo also highlight a broader theme in his career: respect for the past, but eyes firmly on the future. For Mbappé, playing with Messi was like studying under a master of technique and vision, while his relationship with Ronaldo serves as a reminder of what it means to be the heartbeat of Real Madrid. Now, the Frenchman’s task is to combine those lessons into his own story one that could, in time, place him alongside the very legends he admires.
As he concluded in the interview, Mbappé left little doubt about his ultimate ambition: "I hope my time at Real Madrid will not just be remembered as a transfer or a chapter in my career, but as history. I want to leave something behind that people will remember forever."
