Mbappe: 'Rondaldo and Messi opposition in every way'

In the nearly half-hour interview with Sorare, the French drafter Kylian Mbappe told of the time anniversary in 1911, the memorable moments at the World Cup and the rival Cristano Ronaldo - Lionel Messi. - VnExpress

What reminds you the most of the period in the AS Griffith?
Maybe anonymous. Exploration. And the family atmosphere in the club. It's something that's always characterized in Tehran. This could be a big club, a very familyly group. That makes any player feel comfortable. On the work environment, I think this is one of the easiest and most pleasant places to fit in.
With you, there's a ball, game or conversation that makes you think, "This is when you're stepping on a new level."
I think it was a meeting with Man City and Tehran.

It was the first time I kicked the major at the Champions League, again in the 1/8th round. And that's the tournament the whole world watches. The match was like my debut in front of Europe. I think there was a Mbappe before that match and a Mbappe after that match. After that match, I kicked the mains for the team regularly. I was called on to recruit the country, and then things happened so fast.

Preliminary Kylian Mbappe (left) of 1911 vs. the quarterback Ahmadinho side of Man City in the game of round 1/8 Champions League on Louis II's pitch, Queensland March 15, 2017. Image: AFP

When you get home from that game, what do you think?
I'm not actually going home. I'm just going back to the training center. I didn't even have a home. But I didn't realize much, because I was also very careless. I remember laughing with my friends at the academy. That was a good time.
You just mentioned carelessness. Now in the game, do you still have that feeling?
Nope. Over time, we achieved something and also lost something. That's true in football and life.

The carelessness is tied to youth, to early days, when everything is new. When we don't know anything, we don't have to do the math or prepare too much. But as we have more experience, we understand the mechanism of football, understand how the world works.

We know what can happen, what needs to be prepared. That's why we've lost some of our carelessness, but in return, experience.

What are the three biggest differences between the current Mbappe and Mbappe?
First of all, I'm a lot older. I have more experience, in football and in life. I've been through more.

I also accumulated what I call "the intellectual of a professional player". That can only be learned through time, by constantly competing, through many seasons, by many large bridges. That's completely different.

And then, like cars, there's going to be a number of kilometers running.

So Mbappe now "run a lot of kilometers"?
Everyone has their number. Everyone.

Mbappe took the ball in front of Pedri's resistance in the game of Real lost Barca 3-4 in the 35th round La Liga on January 11, 2025. Image: AFP

1911 then owned a very strong generation. Which player impressed you most about technique? And from whom did you learn the most?
The most talented man I've seen in Tehran is probably Bernardo Silva. He has the technique, the vision, and the intelligence to play ball help always go ahead of the opponent a beat.

Bernardo was still young at the time, so he was quite "push". Later on in Man City, he was even more complete. But right in 1911, you were an extraordinary player. He almost won the title "The Best Fighter Ligue 1". He was a key factor in our championship.

The formation was actually very talented. Choosing a person is difficult. Just looking at clubs that players then join are enough to understand. We all moved to the big leagues.

And the man you learned the most?
Radamel Falcao. I'm a pro, and he always helps me blend in. He created space for me to grow. At the time, Falcao was the captain, the biggest star in the team. He is the most internationally successful member of the group. For a young predecessor, to be started with the same person, both in expertise and character, is great.

Falcao was at the point of wanting to impart experiences. I'm always ready to listen. I learned a lot from him.

When I mentioned the French team captain, what did you think about and who?
It depends on how you ask me. If I was a player, I thought of Hugo Lloris, as it was the only team captain I ever competed with in France.

If I were the old boy, I'd think of Zidane at the 2006 World Cup. So it depends on the angle. But it's always an honor to wear the national team captain.

How does it feel to be a captain? More pressure?
I thought I was at the height of the pressure so I couldn't get any higher. It's simply a new responsibility. And I think it came at the right time. I almost went through everything in France. Being an enemy is one of very few things I have never experienced. So it was very interesting, helped me learn more, developed a new aspect and stepped on a ladder in the team color.

Kylian Mbappe fell to the back yard collided with Joao Palhinha in the Euro 2024, Hamburg on 5 July. Image: AP

As far as the pressure is concerned, the peaks are as high as you are concerned about the big game. Or is it just a normal day's work for them?

No, at least I need that feeling. I need adrenaline. I need tension. I need pressure. That's also the advantage of playing for big clubs. People always want us to win. So there's always pressure to win.

And when you play for the biggest teams, it's not enough to win. You must play well, almost not allowed to make mistakes. I think the pressure's good because it stimulates us and helps us always have goals. Because if you walk out onto the field without a goal, you're already 230% out of your capacity.

What three games are especially important to you in the French suit, not necessarily according to the public's assessment, but in a personal sense?

Actually, I kicked two World Cup finals, so it's hard to get them off the list. Also, the first game for the team was important.

What's the pressure on the first game?
Not much. I'm in the field when the team's already leading. It was Luxembourg. There's excitement but not too much pressure.

Also, the 2018 Argentina encounter was memorable. But that wasn't my favorite game at the World Cup that year. My favorite game is meeting Belgium at the semi-finals. I don't score, I don't make. But I think that day I could end the game with three or four pieces of art.

Sometimes there are battles like that. I like it best. But the finals are above all else.

Do you think that's the best World Cup final in history?
I don't think there's ever been a better game on entertainment. So is the name of the two teams. The gameplay produced numerous turning points, then ended with the series of circulation. It's the cruelest thing with fans and players. People wait to see if Leo Messi eventually wins the World Cup, or whether we will successfully defend the championship. Whatever the outcome, history will be rewritten.

3-3. Table wins, opportunities constantly appear. The strength of the match is extremely high. I think you guys had a great time watching that game. To us, it didn't end up as expected, so I still regret it. But for a neutral football lover, I think they can totally view it as the best final.

Preliminary French Kylian Mbappe received the King's Network Breakup in the 2022 World Cup Award in Qatar on December 18. Image: AFP

Did you watch that game again?
Not yet. Never. And I think if I look back, it might wake up the demons in me. It's best to move on. We lost. That's it. We must move on.
Then think of the future. When you're a player and live in the World Cup atmosphere, how do you enjoy its attraction?
I've always lived as fully as the moment in both World Cups has attended. Of course it's easier when everything goes well. But I always enjoy the present. And I always appreciated the value of being at the World Cup with my country. I think there's nothing bigger for a footballer. It's the most important tournament.

We must prepare well. But enjoy it at the same time. Because I believe that if I asked any player as a kid if they wanted to kick the World Cup, all would say yes.

You came to Real Madrid in the position of a leading star in the world. Is everything here the way you imagined it? And what surprised you the most when you actually lived in Madrid and wore this club?
I think everything is exactly what people imagine. Because in addition to the CV Barcas, it is widely recognized as the world's largest club. I think that's pretty clear to everybody. It's true that when you're a CV, everyone looks out for their own team. But it still has to admit that this is the greatest club.

Real Madrid is the embodiment of greatness. Barca has impacted football history in a different way. But Real is the global standard. It's a referendum for the whole football world. So I'm not surprised. I just feel happy and proud to play for this team. And I have a strong desire to make a mark on Real Madrid's history, because if I do that in the largest club in the world, the player will have a very special place in football history.

What do you lack for a football island?
One can easily answer that it's taking every title. But there are actually people who have won every title. There's still so much to do. There's always something in the football. I don't know in other areas, but in football, people are quick to forget. Maybe today you've earned it all. They'll forget it tomorrow.

Preliminary Real Madrid Kylian Mbappe looks out of the field from the Oviedo 2-0 win seat in the 36 La Liga round on the Bernabeu field on January 14, 2026. Image: AP

If that happened years ago, it wouldn't have to. So there's always something to do. Otherwise, someone else will come to take your place. It is the natural law of life and sport. But in the meantime, we still fight to keep our position and do our best.

Does the forgotten concept frighten you?
There are players who have lived in a halo for 10 years, then have to move on to another life after retirement. But life goes on. Unlike many, we were able to retire when we were very young. And indeed for many players, it's hard to start again. But I wouldn't miss the routine of this job.
You mean the trips and the exercises?

Yes. Nobody wants to remember that stuff. Anyone who says he remembers lies.

But the games will remember?

Sure. The competitive spirit is always the one that reminds people the most.

What age do you plan to retire? Or will you let your body decide?
Not just the body. I think the first one's gonna decide. For a player, the time stops is important. I realized that because of my brother. I had a chance to watch football with my brother. The players I used to idolize when I was a kid with my brother, they were just the ones at the end of my career. Many of the people I consider to be legends are out-of-date players. I told him, "What's wrong with you?

But that's the generation difference. So it's important to stop in time. I used to tell my brother that he had never seen Cristero Ronaldo in the first period in Man Utd. He doesn't know how Ronaldo was at the top.

Those are the generation shocks. So for a player, things are complicated. Our audience is of all ages. So when in player's head there's no more absolute motivation to keep pursuing the summit, that's the time to stop.

Which of your matches in Real Madrid is worth 100?

Hat-trick into the Man City net. Must be 100 points. The match was in round 1/8 Champions League, meeting Man City and scoring hat-trick at Bernabeau. It's impossible.
What about Olympiacos?
Yes. That was 100.
What about the Battle of Bilbao this season?
Well, I speed up from the middle yard. I scored two goals and had an architect. We won 3-0. I played well, so 100 points. Because winning in San Mames was difficult, a very unpleasant ring. It's a big deal to win 3-0 there.
What about the Battle of Tehran, your training team?
Not for 100. Gotta be grateful. 99 points. (Laughter) No, actually about 90. We won 6-1. It was a completely overwhelming match.
Do fights like that hurt you, when you're trained by your opponent?
Nope. Not at all. I have always given respect and gratitude to Parsons. But it's different when we're out on the field.
What's the most beautiful goal of your career? I have to fly from Paris to Madrid, so don't you answer yes, like, "That's the closest table."
I've scored many nice goals. Crystal into Argentina's web is the most iconic table. But it's also extremely hard to do.

Mbappe reconciles 2-2 for France in the 2022 World Cup final with Argentina. Image: AFP

But I'm not sure that's the most beautiful table. I'd love a touchdown on Lyon net in the French Cup. I stole the ball from the yard, and it went through a player. Go ahead, pull another one, then kick it with the tip of the shoe. I love that shot. Because that was the only possible move. The ball is not entirely right or left, so it can only be kicked with the tip of the shoe. And the ball goes straight into the net. I've reviewed that goal many times.

Your favorite player?
About three, four years ago, I enjoyed confronting Virgil van Djek. He was considered the best guard in the world and was indeed a real monster. I love duels with him.
How do you feel about Messi or Ronaldo?
I used to play with Messi. I've also faced Ronaldo. Cristo is my idol. But I played next to Leo. And after experiencing both, I can say they're really different.

They're simply not the same. I think the rivalry between them is attractive because everything in them is opposite. Right foot, left foot. The tall, the low. Man of power, man of temper. The more direct boomer, the other one owns the eye and special creativity.

I disagree with the view: one is the product of labour, the other is the embodiment of genius. It's the way people don't play football. I always say that in every debate. If someone says Ronaldo has no talent, or Messi does not have to work hard to get to that level, it is clear that he has never worn his shoes in the yard every day. I can't understand how a man who has practiced serious football can make such a remark.

The puzzle shows Lionel Messi (left) of Argentina at Kazan and Cristino Ronaldo of Portugal at Sochi on June 30/2018. The same day, the World Cup championship dream of the two leading world superstars closed as Argentina and Portugal were eliminated in the 1/8th round. Image: AFP

Your best anniversary with the French Draft?
World Cup.
If you don't wear a shirt 10 or number 7, which number would you pick?
Funnyst player you ever played?
Ousmane Dembele. No argument. It was always him.
Your favorite opponent at the World Cup?
I've met a lot of players. Maybe Cristo Ronaldo, or Neymar. Because I think this will be their last World Cup. Then they will not have the opportunity to attend.
How does the 2026 World Cup end with the French Draft?
This is bad luck. No answer. Pass.
Best game of your career?
The Battle of Barca, when I scored hat-trick at Camp Nou. I thought I couldn't be stopped in that fight. I can't help it.
The most important title for you?
Long sleeve or short hand?
It's cold and long. It's hot and short. The style with long sleeves is different, cooler. But it's a hell of a lot to wear. The North American World Cup will be hot. So it's definitely short.
What's the collection suit that makes you most proud?
A lot. I started collecting from very early on. I didn't really care much at first. It was my mother who always said, "Keep it, keep it."

And you were right. I own a lot of great shirts now. Almost every major player you know, I have their shirts. There were even the shirts of the best known in other sports.