Mbappe idolized Ronaldo. Cristiano Ronaldo and Kylian Mbappé first met 12 years ago when Ronaldo was a star player for Real Madrid and Mbappé was an unknown kid from Paris on a scouting trip. There’s a picture from the day in December 2012, taken at Madrid’s Valdebebas training center. Ronaldo is seen smiling and giving a thumbs up, while Mbappé looks like a starstruck teenager.
On Friday in Hamburg, they will meet again. Now, it’s Mbappé, the new face of Real Madrid, and Ronaldo, the man coming to the end of his era of greatness, which includes success at the Bernabéu that Mbappé can only hope to match. At 39 years old, Ronaldo is playing out his last days as European football’s pre-eminent global superstar. Mbappé is one of those in line to take over.
Mbappe Love for Ronaldo
Kylian Mbappe has never been shy to show his low for Cristiano Ronaldo even if it meant getting hate from a specific section of football fans.At the age of 14, Mbappé’s bedroom in his home in the northeastern Paris suburb of Bondy was adorned with pictures of Ronaldo. He used to watch videos of Ronaldo’s goals on YouTube.
When his free transfer from Paris Saint-Germain to Real Madrid was confirmed in June, following in the footsteps of his boyhood idol, Ronaldo commented on the France international’s announcement on Instagram, saying “it’s my turn to watch.” The comment received more than five million ‘likes’ on the social media platform.
It is an ironic twist of fate that Mbappé, who has openly discussed the inspiration he draws from Ronaldo, could potentially contribute to ending a portion of his hero’s career. Ronaldo has stated that if Portugal loses to France in the Euro 2024 quarterfinals, it will be his final appearance at a European Championship.
Ronaldo’s Last Euros
“It is, without doubt, my last Euros,” Ronaldo said after an emotional night against Slovenia in the round of 16.
Ronaldo scored his first international goal at Euro 2004 as a teenager, 20 years ago. He won his first and only international trophy at Euro 2016. It speaks to his longevity that when he confirmed he won’t play in another tournament, there was still an element of surprise, despite the fact that he will be 43 by the time Euro 2028 kicks off. He has been around so long that on Friday he will likely share the pitch with France forward Marcus Thuram, whose father Lilian played against Ronaldo in a World Cup semifinal 18 years ago this week.
After two decades and more than 1,000 professional games, people have stopped trying to guess when he might call it quits. He could yet carry on until the 2026 World Cup in Canada, Mexico, and the United States in two years’ time.
Mbappe, The next Galactico
Ronaldo has had an impressive career, scoring 895 goals in 1,230 games. Mbappé, a 24-year-old star striker, would need to score 40 goals a season for the next 14 years to match Ronaldo’s numbers (he currently has 336 goals in 455 games). Real Madrid can only hope he gets close, as they finally acquired Mbappé after pursuing him since 2012.
Mbappé rose to fame at Monaco and PSG, but his move to Madrid will elevate him to a new level of stardom, similarly to Ronaldo’s move in 2009. Ronaldo joined Real Madrid from Manchester United for a then-world record fee of €94 million 15 years ago, and now there’s a similar feeling with Mbappé. Joining one of the biggest clubs in the world is a perfect match for Mbappé’s talent.
Ronaldo is perhaps the only player who will understand what Mbappé will experience under the intense spotlight in the Spanish capital. However, as they prepare to face each other in Hamburg, they are under very different pressures.
Mbappé is the star player at the peak of his powers, expected to score the goals that will help France win. On the other hand, Ronaldo is battling to prove that he still deserves his place with Portugal amid fierce debate at home about whether, now past his prime, he is a help or a hindrance to the team.
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Ups and Down at Euros
Both Kylian Mbappé and Cristiano Ronaldo have had their ups and downs in Germany. Mbappé scored a penalty against Poland in the group stage, but wearing a mask to protect a broken nose suffered in the first game against Austria, he has not looked at his scintillating best.
Ronaldo, playing at his sixth Euros, is yet to score and missed an extra-time penalty against Slovenia. He broke down in tears after catching a glimpse of his mother, Dolores, visibly upset in the stands, but he was still able to steady himself to score in the shootout and help send Portugal through.
Ronaldo was benched for Portugal’s World Cup quarterfinal in Qatar two years ago by former coach Fernando Santos. This decision initially looked like it might spell the end of his international career. However, he was reinstated by Santos’ successor Roberto Martínez, and went on to score 10 goals during a nearly flawless qualifying campaign. Despite this, questions remain about whether Ronaldo should still start games at this level.
Martínez has faced the recurring question of whether Ronaldo should be in the starting lineup at almost every news conference in Germany. Each time, he has cited statistics to support his position. Ronaldo scored 50 goals in 51 games for Al Nassr last season. It’s worth noting that this was in the Saudi Pro League, which is generally considered to be of a lower standard than European leagues. In contrast, potential replacements Gonçalo Ramos and João Félix scored 12 and 10 goals for PSG and Barcelona, respectively.
Martínez’s play style, with full-backs encouraged to push forward and many crosses into the penalty area, is tailored to suit Ronaldo’s goal-scoring abilities, and he doesn’t plan to change it despite Ronaldo’s recent lack of goals. During the match against Slovenia, Ronaldo seemed desperate at times, attempting things that his body no longer allows him to do and frequently requesting free kicks around the box, only to miss each time.
Similarly, Mbappé has been facing challenges, and there are suggestions in France that Didier Deschamps’ practical approach doesn’t bring out the best in one of the most exciting attackers globally. There’s a lingering sense that the squad, which boasts the most talented players at the Euros, relies too heavily on Mbappé for moments of brilliance rather than winning games through a well-developed attacking system.
France, one of the pre-tournament favorites, has reached the quarterfinals without scoring from open play. In the round of 16 against Belgium, they had 20 attempts but won due to a late own goal by Jan Vertonghen. They are still favorites to beat Portugal and reach the semifinals, but it could come down to whether Ronaldo or Mbappé has the better day.
Nine years after their first photo together in Madrid, Ronaldo and Mbappé were pictured together again at the last Euros, this time in the tunnel at Puskás Arena in Budapest after a 2-2 draw between Portugal and France in the group stage. They walked off the pitch together, swapped shirts, and shared a joke, knowing their campaigns would continue on separate paths in the knockout phase. This time it’s make-or-break, and only one will be left smiling.
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