Kylian Mbappe reveals Cristiano Ronaldo regret after Lionel Messi experience
Real Madrid star Kylian Mbappe admitted his dream of playing with Cristiano Ronaldo will be ‘very difficult now’. The 25-year old, through his young career, has already played with many greats of the sport, including arguably the best of all time, Lionel Messi. France beat Portugal in the Euros 2024 quarter-finals on penaltiesGetty It was an encounter which fed his desire of playing alongside Ronaldo, who is also argued by many to be the best ever. The five time Ballon d’Or winner left Madrid in 2018 and is now playing for Saudi Pro League side Al-Nassr. In 2021, after embarrassingly losing out on the title to Lille, Paris Saint-Germain went gung-ho in the transfer window and acquired Messi to add alongside Mbappe and Neymar. They won Ligue 1 that season, but the Champions League remained elusive as they crashed out to Real Madrid in the round of 16. Speaking to BeIN Sports about his senior years, Mbappe said: “I’ve played with great players: Lionel Messi, Neymar, [Antoine] Griezmann, [Paul] Pogba, [Karim] Benzema… “It would have been fun to play with Cristiano Ronaldo. It’s going to be very difficult now, but I was lucky enough to play against him, a legend of the sport.” They first clashed on the pitch in 2018 when Madrid beat PSG 5-2 on aggregate in the Champions League round of 16 to later lift Ronaldo’s fourth and final European trophy in Spain. The Portuguese star confirmed his legendary status in Madrid during his nine year tenure and Mbappe is aiming to do the same following his big move to the club last summer. This season has been a turbulent one for Mbappe. With a goal in the Super Cup to start his campaign, it seemed like business as usual for the striker. But he struggled to gel with his teammates as he was restricted in a central role rather than being able to drift out wide. Mbappe scored his 50th goal in the Champions League against AtalantaGetty Only recently has the Frenchman hit a consistent run of form, scoring in all three of his last appearances. Fans are full of high expectations for Mbappe and to meet those he must emulate the goalscoring heroics of Ronaldo. The 39-year-old netted 450 times in 438 appearances for Madrid while Mbappe still has a long way to go, with 13 goals in 23 games so far. “I went to the biggest club in the world,” Mbappe added. “I have always said that it was the only club I would have left PSG for. If I hadn’t been able to go to Madrid, I would have stayed at PSG all my life. “Since I was 14, everyone told me I was going to be great. But when you’re big, sometimes you feel small… At first I was too hungry and it played tricks on me because I was impatient. But I have passion and this competitive side. Mbappe had the chance to play alongside MessiGetty “My dream now is to win trophies with my team, not individual awards. What great title is left for me? The Champions League, but I’m in the best club in the world for that.” Carlo Ancelotti’s side have already won two trophies this season, the Super Cup and the International Cup, but they have struggled. Their poor performances have replicated themselves in Europe as they side sit 20th in the Champions League table, two points off not qualifying for the knockouts. On the upside Madrid are only one point behind league leaders Barcelona with a game in hand.
Real Madrid star Kylian Mbappe admitted his dream of playing with Cristiano Ronaldo will be ‘very difficult now’.
The 25-year old, through his young career, has already played with many greats of the sport, including arguably the best of all time, Lionel Messi.
It was an encounter which fed his desire of playing alongside Ronaldo, who is also argued by many to be the best ever.
The five time Ballon d’Or winner left Madrid in 2018 and is now playing for Saudi Pro League side Al-Nassr.
In 2021, after embarrassingly losing out on the title to Lille, Paris Saint-Germain went gung-ho in the transfer window and acquired Messi to add alongside Mbappe and Neymar.
They won Ligue 1 that season, but the Champions League remained elusive as they crashed out to Real Madrid in the round of 16.
Speaking to BeIN Sports about his senior years, Mbappe said: “I’ve played with great players: Lionel Messi, Neymar, [Antoine] Griezmann, [Paul] Pogba, [Karim] Benzema…
“It would have been fun to play with Cristiano Ronaldo. It’s going to be very difficult now, but I was lucky enough to play against him, a legend of the sport.”
They first clashed on the pitch in 2018 when Madrid beat PSG 5-2 on aggregate in the Champions League round of 16 to later lift Ronaldo’s fourth and final European trophy in Spain.
The Portuguese star confirmed his legendary status in Madrid during his nine year tenure and Mbappe is aiming to do the same following his big move to the club last summer.
This season has been a turbulent one for Mbappe. With a goal in the Super Cup to start his campaign, it seemed like business as usual for the striker.
But he struggled to gel with his teammates as he was restricted in a central role rather than being able to drift out wide.
Only recently has the Frenchman hit a consistent run of form, scoring in all three of his last appearances.
Fans are full of high expectations for Mbappe and to meet those he must emulate the goalscoring heroics of Ronaldo.
The 39-year-old netted 450 times in 438 appearances for Madrid while Mbappe still has a long way to go, with 13 goals in 23 games so far.
“I went to the biggest club in the world,” Mbappe added.
“I have always said that it was the only club I would have left PSG for. If I hadn’t been able to go to Madrid, I would have stayed at PSG all my life.
“Since I was 14, everyone told me I was going to be great. But when you’re big, sometimes you feel small… At first I was too hungry and it played tricks on me because I was impatient. But I have passion and this competitive side.
“My dream now is to win trophies with my team, not individual awards. What great title is left for me? The Champions League, but I’m in the best club in the world for that.”
Carlo Ancelotti’s side have already won two trophies this season, the Super Cup and the International Cup, but they have struggled.
Their poor performances have replicated themselves in Europe as they side sit 20th in the Champions League table, two points off not qualifying for the knockouts.
On the upside Madrid are only one point behind league leaders Barcelona with a game in hand.
