Real Madrid Star Kylian Mbappe snubs Cristiano Ronaldo after naming the four players who have inspired him

Kylian Mbappe idolized Cristiano Ronaldo as a child, yet he has ignored him when identifying the players that inspire him.

Mbappe has admired Ronaldo since he was a boy dreaming of becoming a football player.

Mbappe has pictures of the striker on his bedroom walls, and his father allegedly stated that he would spend hours watching the Portuguese skipper online.

And the Frenchman is likely to continue in Ronaldo’s footsteps, having guided his national side to their first major tournament as captain during France’s opening Euro 2024 match on Monday, just weeks after sealing a record-breaking move to Real Madrid.

When questioned about the necessity of being a national leader and which other leaders he admired, Mbappe chose to name some of his biggest adversaries rather than Ronaldo.

Mbappe told French television program Telefoot that he has been inspired by Leo Messi, Neymar, Ramos, and Buffon.

Mbappe’s initial thought was Lionel Messi, Ronaldo’s long-time nemesis, with the two frequently cited as maybe the two greatest footballers of all time.

Messi became Argentina’s captain in 2011, guiding the team to six finals, including wins in the 2021 Copa America and the 2022 Qatar World Cup.

Neymar Jr, Brazil’s all-time leading goalscorer, was captain of his national team from 2008 to 2019, when he was relieved of his duties due to disciplinary troubles at his club Paris Saint-Germain (PSG).

Since then, Brazil has been led by various older players, notably Chelsea’s Thiago Silva, Manchester United’s Casemiro, and Juventus defender Danilo, who will lead the national side in the 2024 Copa America.