Kylian Mbappe has revealed he started supporting Real Madrid because of Zinedine Zidane and Cristiano Ronaldo, two players he is now following in the footsteps of.
Born and raised in the Paris suburb of Bondy, Mbappe initially started following Real Madrid because Zidane, who ranked at no.7 in FourFourTwo's list of the greatest players of all time, starred for them when he was a young boy.
Indeed, Mbappe was just three when Zidane completed his £46.2m move from Juventus to Real Madrid, and grew up watching his fellow countryman star at the Bernabeu. He was immediately drawn to the entire aesthetic.
Kylian Mbappe's love of Real Madrid stems from Zidane and Ronaldo
"I became a Real Madrid fan because of [Zinedine] Zidane," Mbappe told Spanish outlet La Sexta. "As a Frenchman, he’s an idol. I started as a fan of Zizou when he signed with the Galacticos. It’s the best club in the world, it has an aura that others don’t have."
When Cristiano Ronaldo signed for Los Blancos, Mbappe's fandom grew even stronger. He famously had posters of the Portuguese superstar on his bedroom wall as a kid while in the Bondby youth system, dreaming of pulling on the club's whites at the Bernabeu.
“When Cristiano arrived, my other idol, I followed all their matches," Mbappe said. "Even if you’re not a Madrid fan, you watch their games because it’s the biggest club in the world. At first, it was a dream, then a goal, and now a reality.”
After years of flirting with the possibility of signing for Real Madrid, Mbappe finally penned a five-year deal in the summer of 2024. He could have been at the club he supported from an earlier age, however, having spent a week on trial at their Valdebebas training ground in his teenage years.
While he ultimately decided against the move, he did get the opportunity to meet his heroes.
“I was 13 years old and didn’t speak Spanish," Mbappe said. "I could only talk with Zidane. It was an unforgettable moment to spend a week at Valdebebas. I knew that one day I would come back here.
“There was a chance to sign for Madrid, but with my family, it wasn’t the right time. Madrid wanted me to come, but I wasn’t ready at 13. It was better to stay in my country with my friends and family. I think it was a good decision."
Mbappe has previously highlighted his love of AC Milan, too, suggesting that he would like to play for the Rossoneri if he is ever to move to Italy in the future.
