Cristiano Ronaldo inspired Kylian Mbappe as Real Madrid star reveals what he learned from Al-Nassr captain

Kylian Mbappe has never hidden the influence Cristiano Ronaldo had on his development, but the Real Madrid star has always viewed his inspiration as something broader than simply following one player. From his childhood in France to becoming one of the world’s biggest stars, Mbappe has carried lessons from the players he admired into his own career.

The connection between the two forwards has evolved dramatically over the years. What began with a young Mbappe watching Ronaldo from afar eventually became a relationship built around mutual respect, conversations and advice, with the Frenchman now following in his idol’s footsteps at Real Madrid.

Mbappe’s admiration for Ronaldo dates back to his earliest years as a player. Famous images of the teenager in his Bondy bedroom show Ronaldo posters covering the walls, while his family has spoken about how intensely he followed the Portuguese superstar.

The relationship became even more memorable when Mbappe visited Real Madrid’s training ground as a youngster and met Ronaldo. He reportedly studied the forward’s movements closely, taking inspiration from his explosive pace, stepovers, changes of direction, and ability to combine wide attacking play with relentless goalscoring.

Ronaldo’s influence was particularly significant because he showed Mbappe what a modern forward could become. His transformation from explosive winger into one of soccer’s most prolific goalscorers offered a blueprint for a young player who wanted to develop every part of his attacking game.

Mbappe finally explains what he learned from Ronaldo

The clearest explanation of Ronaldo’s influence came when L’Equipe asked Mbappe whether the Portuguese had been his inspiration as a player. Rather than naming Ronaldo alone, Mbappe explained that his childhood idol had taught him something fundamental about what an elite striker could achieve. “Not just him, not just him. Cristiano was my childhood idol, and I think for a long time he embodied the idea that a striker can do many things; he can do so much.”

Mbappe then explained why he believes the best players learn from several sources rather than attempting to replicate one individual. “But I think that as a striker, you always try to take a little bit of the best that others have and what they excel at, because your goal in the end is to improve yourself, so that there are fewer people doing things better than you”, he added.

That distinction is important. Ronaldo was Mbappe’s childhood idol and a major influence, but Mbappe’s ambition has always been to take the strongest qualities from different players and turn them into his own game.

From posters on his wall to Real Madrid

Mbappe’s career path has also created an obvious link with his childhood hero. After emerging at Monaco and becoming a global superstar at Paris Saint-Germain, he eventually completed his long-awaited move to Real Madrid, the club where Ronaldo established himself as a legend.

Mbappe has previously acknowledged that Ronaldo influenced his view of what a career at the highest level could look like. His decision to pursue a move to Madrid carried an obvious sense of continuity, particularly given how much the Portuguese forward achieved there.

The Frenchman has also incorporated elements of the Portuguese veteran’s style into his own game. Explosive acceleration, stepovers, sharp body movements and an instinct for attacking space have all been characteristics associated with both players, although Mbappe has developed his own identity.