Kylian Mbappé became a world-class player almost as soon as he started his career. His spells with Paris Saint-Germain and now Real Madrid were built on standout performances for France. But it all started at Monaco, where he played alongside Vagner Love.
Love was a Brazilian forward known for his colorful dreadlocks, but he was also a very good player. While his time in Russia with CSKA Moscow may be his most memorable, he was teammates with Mbappé in 2016, as he recalled in an interview with Sportv.
Speaking about a squad that had many players from the same country, such as Fabinho, Jemerson and Wallace, Love said in reference to a famous cartoon: “His speed was incredible. They called him ‘Correcaminos’ (Road Runner), especially the Brazilians.”
Love on Mbappé’s personality
Love remembered his time at Monaco easily, as he only played during the first half of 2016. He also recalled a match in which the club beat Paris Saint-Germain away after many years, with him and Mbappé leading the attack.
Love’s best time as a player was with CSKA Moscow (Dmitry Korotayev/Epsilon/Getty Images)
Mbappé’s personality was another topic of conversation. He is now often questioned because of his star status, but the Brazilian was clear about what the Frenchman was like when they played together.
see also
Report: Kylian Mbappé faces issues at Real Madrid amid leadership scrutiny compared to Vinícius Jr.
Love joked that it was not him who played with Mbappé, but Mbappé who played with him, and he also praised his personality: “He was very young, very calm, very serene. He never mistreated anyone.”
Love’s time with Monaco
Love could not repeat his previous success with Monaco. He arrived on loan in January 2016 for an initial 18 months, but he left for Turkish club Alanyaspor after the season ended to make way for Radamel Falcao’s return from Chelsea. In his 12 Ligue 1 matches, he scored four goals during his time in France.
