Kylian Mbappe idolised Cristiano Ronaldo as a kid but has snubbed him when naming the players who inspire him.
Since he was a child growing up dreaming of being a footballer, Mbappe has always looked up to Ronaldo.
He has posters of the striker on his bedroom walls, and his father once said that Mbappe would spend hours watching the Portuguese captain online.
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And the Frenchman is set to continue to follow in Ronaldo’s footsteps, having led his national team out to his first major tournament as captain during France's opening Euro 2024 fixture on Monday, weeks after confirming a record-breaking transfer to Real Madrid.
However, when asked about the importance of becoming a national leader and which other captains he looked up to, Mbappe snubbed Ronaldo, instead naming some of his greatest rivals.
Speaking to French programme Telefoot, Mbappe said: “I have been inspired by Leo Messi, Neymar, Ramos and Buffon.”
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The first name that came to Mbappe’s mind was Lionel Messi, the long-term rival of Ronaldo, with the two regularly compared as perhaps the two greatest footballers of all time.
Messi assumed the role of Argentinian captain in 2011, leading them to six finals, including victories in the 2021 Copa America and 2022 Qatar World Cup.
Top Brazilian goalscorer of all time, Neymar Jr, was captain of his national team from 2108 to 2019, where he was stripped of the role for disciplinary issues at his club Paris Saint-Germain (PSG).
Since then, Brazil has been led by several senior players including Chelsea’s Thiago Silva, Manchester United’s Casemiro and Juventus defender Danilo, who will captain the national team in the 2024 Copa America.
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Mbappe spent seasons playing with both Messi and Neymar at PSG, where they won three trophies together in arguably the best attacking trio ever.
Next on the Frenchman’s list was Sergio Ramos, who captained home nation Spain from 2016 until 2021.
The won back-to-back European Championships, in 2008 and 2012, and one World Cup, 2010, with his national team.
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The final player named by Mbappe was legendary goalkeeper Gianluigi Buffon, captain of the Italian national team for eight years.
Buffon is the all-time appearance leader for Italy, leading the nation as captain from 2010 to 2018 when he retired from international football.
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Topics: Kylian Mbappe, Cristiano Ronaldo, Lionel Messi, Neymar, Sergio Ramos, Gianluigi Buffon, Real Madrid, France, Euro 2024
Ben McCrum