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. 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. Kylian Mbappé haciendo una celebración de Cristiano Ronaldo hoy. 🥹🥹🥹 pic.twitter.com/pu93GZ1rYT— MT2 (@madrid_total2) August 26, 2026 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. Cristiano Ronaldo of Portugal shakes hands with Kylian Mbappe of France 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.
Inter Miami and Nashville SC clash in a key Eastern Conference duel. Here is all the information you need to watch this 2026 MLS season game live in the United States. Here are all of the details of where you can watch Inter Miami vs Nashville SC on US television and via legal streaming: WHO Inter Miami vs Nashville SC WHAT MLS 2026 season WHEN 7:30pm ET / 4:30pm PT • Saturday, September 12, 2026 WHERE Apple TV STREAM WATCH NOW Match Overview Inter Miami face one of their toughest tests of the season against Nashville SC, who currently lead the Eastern Conference ahead of the Herons. With 53 points, Nashville sit atop the Eastern Conference standings, making a victory essential for Inter Miami as they look to narrow the gap and push for the top spot in the final weeks of the regular season. Details on how to watch Apple TV is the home for Major League Soccer – where you can watch Inter Miami vs Nashville SC and every MLS and Leagues Cup game. With the legal streaming service, you can watch the game on your computer, Apple TV, smartphone, tablet, Roku, and other smart streaming devices. Apple TV will stream every MLS game – including MLS Cup Playoffs and Leagues Cup – with no blackouts. Apple TV is available on all Apple iOS devices, Mac, PC, Amazon Fire TV and Fire Stick, Android TV, Google TV, LG smart TVs, Panasonic smart TVs, Playstation 4 & 5, Roku streaming devices and smart TVs, Samsung smart TVs, Sony smart TVs, Vizio smart TVs, and Xbox One, One S, Series X and Series S. In addition, you can AirPlay or cast from your phone or computer to any compatible screen. SEE MORE: Schedule of Leagues Cup games on US TV and streaming How to watch anywhere with VPN If you’re abroad, you may need to use a virtual private network (VPN) in order to watch games using your usual streaming service. A VPN, such as NordVPN, allows you to establish a secure connection online when streaming. If you are not sure which VPN to use, check out World Soccer Talk’s guide to the best VPNs for streaming soccer.
Leeds manager embraces bravery and is encouraging ambition after leading a remarkable turnaround in fortunesEleven years have passed since Daniel Farke mounted a magnificent palomino horse and rode round the perimeter of the pitch at Lippstadt, waving farewell to a capacity crowd. It seemed a fun way for the lower-tier German club’s centre-forward turned manager and sporting director to say goodbye. Yet few in the stands knew Farke was scared of horses and hauled himself into the saddle only out of politeness towards his chair, who had arranged this special surprise.“I couldn’t deny him,” he said. “But it cured my fear – it was enjoyable.” Continue reading...
Is it too early for a Tottenham crisis? To which the answer is surely that it is never too early for a Tottenham crisis. After four Premier League games, they have yet to score. This kind of run has never happened in their history at the beginning of a league season.At least they mustered a couple of shots on target this time, having failed to do so last weekend in the 0-0 draw at Nottingham Forest. The first – from Mateus Fernandes – at the start of the second half was greeted by ironic cheers from the South Stand. It has certainly not been what the club expected when they spent £300m on overhauling the squad in the summer. Continue reading...
Tap a headline to view metadata and excerpt fields in Sportra, then use the article website button to continue on the original publisher page.
