Kylian Mbappé has opened up about his special relationship with Cristiano Ronaldo, revealing that the Portuguese legend has gone from being his childhood hero to becoming a trusted friend and mentor.
Speaking in an interview with The Athletic, Mbappé said: “Cristiano Ronaldo used to be my idol, now he’s my friend.”
The Real Madrid forward added that he enjoys spending time with Ronaldo and regularly receives advice and support from the five-time Ballon d’Or winner. It is a remarkable relationship between two global football icons whose careers share several striking similarities.
From their explosive playing styles and record-breaking goals to their Real Madrid journeys and influence on international football, Mbappé appears to be following a path once travelled by his idol.
Cristiano Ronaldo’s Influence on a Young Mbappé
Mbappé has never hidden his admiration for Ronaldo. The Frenchman grew up watching Cristiano develop from an exciting Manchester United winger into one of the greatest goalscorers in football history.
Ronaldo’s speed, skills, confidence and relentless desire to improve made him the perfect role model for an ambitious young forward. Mbappé later developed many of those same qualities, becoming known for his devastating acceleration, intelligent movement and clinical finishing.
Their relationship has now progressed beyond admiration from a distance.
“I love spending time with him,” Mbappé said. “He gives me advice, he supports me, and he knows I will always support him.”
The journey from idol to friend illustrates how far Mbappé has come. He is no longer simply the young player studying Ronaldo’s performances—he is now one of the few modern footballers capable of challenging some of the Portuguese star’s records.
Both Fulfilled Their Real Madrid Dreams
Playing for Real Madrid represents one of the clearest similarities between Mbappé and Cristiano Ronaldo.
Ronaldo joined the Spanish giants from Manchester United in 2009 and produced one of the greatest individual careers in club football. He left Madrid in 2018 as the club’s record goalscorer, having scored 451 goals in 438 competitive appearances.
His achievements included 312 LaLiga goals, 105 Champions League goals for Madrid and a club-record 61 goals during a single season. Ronaldo also won four Champions League titles, two LaLiga championships and four Ballon d’Or awards while representing Los Blancos. Real Madrid’s official profile describes him as the greatest goalscorer in the club’s history.
Mbappé completed his dream move to Real Madrid in 2024 after establishing himself at Monaco and Paris Saint-Germain. Like Ronaldo, he joined the club while entering the prime years of his career and immediately became the centre of enormous expectations.
The French forward reached 100 Real Madrid appearances with 85 goals, an outstanding scoring rate. His first two league seasons produced 56 goals in 65 matches and two consecutive Pichichi trophies. Only a small group of Madrid players—including Ronaldo—had previously won the Spanish top-scorer award in successive seasons. Real Madrid confirmed that Mbappé scored 85 times in his first 100 appearances.
Ronaldo’s complete Madrid record remains a distant target, but Mbappé has made a start worthy of comparison.
From Explosive Wingers to Complete Goalscorers
Ronaldo and Mbappé both began their careers as explosive wide attackers who enjoyed running directly at defenders.
During his early years, Ronaldo relied heavily on stepovers, dribbling and acceleration. As his career progressed, he became more efficient, moved closer to goal and developed into a complete penalty-box striker.
Mbappé has experienced a similar transformation. He remains dangerous when attacking from the left, but he has increasingly operated through the centre. His movement behind defenders, composure in one-on-one situations and ability to score with limited touches have made him one of football’s most productive forwards.
Both players possess:
- Exceptional acceleration and speed
- Powerful shooting with their stronger right foot
- Intelligent off-the-ball movement
- The ability to score from wide and central positions
- Confidence in high-pressure matches
- A relentless desire to break records
- The physical conditioning required to perform consistently
Neither player is simply a goalscorer. Their movement stretches defences, creates space for teammates and forces opponents to adjust their entire tactical approach.
Champions League Goals and Record-Breaking Ambitions
The Champions League is another competition linking Mbappé and Ronaldo.
Cristiano remains the tournament’s record goalscorer with 140 Champions League goals, while Mbappé has climbed to 71 and moved level with former Madrid captain Raúl in fifth place on the all-time list.
Mbappé finished the 2025/26 Champions League campaign as top scorer after registering 15 goals in 11 appearances. Only Ronaldo has scored more during a single season, having set the record with 17 goals in 2013/14. UEFA’s official scoring records show the scale of the challenge facing the Frenchman.
Ronaldo combined extraordinary individual numbers with five Champions League titles, including four for Real Madrid. Mbappé still needs to build that type of European trophy collection, but his goalscoring pace means the comparison is becoming increasingly relevant.
Record Goalscorers for Their Countries
Both forwards have also become historic goalscorers at international level.
Cristiano Ronaldo is the leading scorer in men’s international football, recording 146 goals in 233 Portugal appearances as of July 2026. He became the first male footballer to score in six different World Cups and has found the net against 49 national teams. UEFA lists him comfortably ahead of every other European international goalscorer.
Mbappé, meanwhile, has scored 66 goals in 106 appearances for France. He has already surpassed Olivier Giroud to become France’s record scorer and is the leading goalscorer in World Cup history with 22 goals, according to the French Football Federation.
Their major international achievements are different but equally significant.
Mbappé won the 2018 World Cup with France and scored in the final against Croatia. He later scored a hat-trick in the 2022 final and won consecutive World Cup Golden Boots.
Ronaldo led Portugal to their first major senior international trophy at Euro 2016 and also helped his country win the UEFA Nations League in 2019 and 2025.
Both have carried the pressure of being their country’s captain, biggest star and primary source of goals.
Two of Football’s Biggest Global Icons
Mbappé and Ronaldo are also much more than footballers. They are internationally recognised personalities with enormous commercial influence.
Ronaldo built one of sport’s biggest personal brands through his performances, professionalism, social-media presence and business ventures. Mbappé has followed a similar route, becoming the face of major global campaigns while maintaining a powerful identity beyond club football.
Both players understand that every performance, interview and public appearance attracts worldwide attention. Their ability to handle that pressure is another important similarity.
They are driven by competition and openly embrace ambitious targets. Ronaldo’s pursuit of goals and trophies has defined his career, while Mbappé continues to speak about winning the Champions League, Ballon d’Or and more international honours.
Mbappé Is Building His Own Legacy
The similarities between Mbappé and Cristiano Ronaldo are clear, but the Frenchman is not simply a copy of his idol.
Ronaldo established his legacy through Champions League dominance, incredible longevity and unprecedented goalscoring numbers. Mbappé has created a different story through his early World Cup success, remarkable tournament records and rapid rise into France’s greatest goalscorer.
Cristiano has provided the blueprint, but Mbappé must now continue writing his own chapter at Real Madrid.
Their friendship adds another fascinating dimension to that journey. Advice from someone who understands the pressure of leading Real Madrid and carrying a national team could prove invaluable as Mbappé pursues football’s biggest honours.
The young fan who once watched Cristiano Ronaldo in admiration is now a Real Madrid superstar, an international record-breaker and a friend of his childhood hero.
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