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Kylian Mbapp\u00e9 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.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Speaking in an interview with The Athletic<\/em>, Mbapp\u00e9 said: \u201cCristiano Ronaldo used to be my idol, now he\u2019s my friend.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n The Real Madrid forward added that he enjoys spending time with Ronaldo and regularly receives advice and support from the five-time Ballon d\u2019Or winner. It is a remarkable relationship between two global football icons whose careers share several striking similarities.<\/p>\n\n\n\n From their explosive playing styles and record-breaking goals to their Real Madrid journeys and influence on international football, Mbapp\u00e9 appears to be following a path once travelled by his idol.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Mbapp\u00e9 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.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Ronaldo\u2019s speed, skills, confidence and relentless desire to improve made him the perfect role model for an ambitious young forward. Mbapp\u00e9 later developed many of those same qualities, becoming known for his devastating acceleration, intelligent movement and clinical finishing.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Their relationship has now progressed beyond admiration from a distance.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cI love spending time with him,\u201d Mbapp\u00e9 said. \u201cHe gives me advice, he supports me, and he knows I will always support him.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n The journey from idol to friend illustrates how far Mbapp\u00e9 has come. He is no longer simply the young player studying Ronaldo\u2019s performances\u2014he is now one of the few modern footballers capable of challenging some of the Portuguese star\u2019s records.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Playing for Real Madrid represents one of the clearest similarities between Mbapp\u00e9 and Cristiano Ronaldo.<\/p>\n\n\n\n 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\u2019s record goalscorer, having scored 451 goals in 438 competitive appearances<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n 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\u2019Or awards while representing Los Blancos. Real Madrid\u2019s official profile<\/a> describes him as the greatest goalscorer in the club\u2019s history.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Mbapp\u00e9 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.<\/p>\n\n\n\n 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\u2014including Ronaldo\u2014had previously won the Spanish top-scorer award in successive seasons. Real Madrid<\/a> confirmed that Mbapp\u00e9 scored 85 times in his first 100 appearances.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Ronaldo\u2019s complete Madrid record remains a distant target, but Mbapp\u00e9 has made a start worthy of comparison.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Ronaldo and Mbapp\u00e9 both began their careers as explosive wide attackers who enjoyed running directly at defenders.<\/p>\n\n\n\n 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.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Mbapp\u00e9 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\u2019s most productive forwards.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Both players possess:<\/p>\n\n\n\n Neither player is simply a goalscorer. Their movement stretches defences, creates space for teammates and forces opponents to adjust their entire tactical approach.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The Champions League is another competition linking Mbapp\u00e9 and Ronaldo.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Cristiano remains the tournament\u2019s record goalscorer with 140 Champions League goals<\/strong>, while Mbapp\u00e9 has climbed to 71 and moved level with former Madrid captain Ra\u00fal in fifth place on the all-time list.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Mbapp\u00e9 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\u2019s official scoring records<\/a> show the scale of the challenge facing the Frenchman.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Ronaldo combined extraordinary individual numbers with five Champions League titles, including four for Real Madrid. Mbapp\u00e9 still needs to build that type of European trophy collection, but his goalscoring pace means the comparison is becoming increasingly relevant.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Both forwards have also become historic goalscorers at international level.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Cristiano Ronaldo is the leading scorer in men\u2019s international football, recording 146 goals in 233 Portugal appearances<\/strong> 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<\/a> lists him comfortably ahead of every other European international goalscorer.<\/p>\n\n\n\nCristiano Ronaldo\u2019s Influence on a Young Mbapp\u00e9<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Both Fulfilled Their Real Madrid Dreams<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
From Explosive Wingers to Complete Goalscorers<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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Champions League Goals and Record-Breaking Ambitions<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Record Goalscorers for Their Countries<\/h2>\n\n\n\n