'He Texted Me Before Kickoff'—How Tom Brady's Winning Mentality Is Fueling This Real Madrid Star

As the French national team touched down at Gillette Stadium ahead of their friendly clash with Brazil, standout midfielder Aurélien Tchouaméni couldn't resist reaching for his phone.

"I sent Tom Brady a message," the 26-year-old Real Madrid star told L'Equipe. "I sent him a photo of his stadium. He wrote back saying he was glad the French team got to play there."

Brady spent two decades (2000–2019) at Gillette Stadium, the home of the NFL's New England Patriots, capturing six Super Bowl championships during that stretch, before claiming a seventh with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers to cap off a legendary career. He serves as a major source of inspiration for Tchouaméni, who follows the NFL closely and has a deep appreciation for American culture.

"[Brady] inspired me," Tchouaméni continued. "We have plenty of great icons in France, but there are so many American athletes who inspired me growing up. I can mention LeBron James, Serena Williams. I watched these people throughout my childhood. It was always motivating."

Tchouaméni and Mbappé Are Embracing a Summer on American Soil

France edged past Brazil 2–1 on Thursday, then headed south to Northwest Stadium in Landover, Md. on Sunday to claim a 3–1 victory over Colombia.

Les Bleus—beyond extending their unbeaten run to nine matches and climbing to No. 2 in the FIFA World Rankings—have been getting comfortable on American soil this week, right on schedule ahead of this summer's World Cup, co-hosted by the U.S., Canada and Mexico.

France has been drawn into Group I, where they'll face Senegal, the winner of Iraq vs. Bolivia, and Norway, with all matches taking place in the U.S. and the final group game returning to Gillette—a prospect that has Tchouaméni particularly thrilled.

"American culture has always been an inspiration to me, across different sports like basketball and American football," he said. "My connection to those sports grew through watching games. For me, playing in the Patriots' stadium—that iconic venue—is something truly special. I know the history of this club and this ground. But beyond that, it's their winning mentality that has always fascinated me."

Speaking to reporters following the Brazil victory, Tchouaméni said: "That was amazing, especially for me as a football fan. It's unbelievable to have the opportunity to play at the 'Tom Brady' stadium."

Tchouaméni's enthusiasm for American football follows Atlanta Falcons star running back Bijan Robinson's visit to Clairefontaine, France's national training center, last week to spend time with the squad. Robinson posed for photos with the players, exchanged jerseys with French superstar Kylian Mbappé and Tchouaméni, and even let the players try on his helmet and pads.

👀 @Bijan5Robinson a rencontré @atchouameni, et il lui a même prêté son uniforme NFL ! pic.twitter.com/9A4w2KRA44

Mbappé has also been soaking up American culture, with the French team sharing a video on social media Monday showing the Real Madrid forward treating a World Cup soccer ball like a basketball and draining a perfect shot into the locker room trash can.

Shortly afterward, Mbappé took to social media to playfully hint at the NBA about the possibility of a short-term deal.

🏀🕺😝 @KMbappe pic.twitter.com/u8nIOTxIpU