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Real Madrid superstar Kylian Mbappé has opened up about his relationship with childhood hero Cristiano Ronaldo, revealing that the Portuguese legend "helped" him throughout his first season in the famous white jersey.
The French forward was never secretive about his admiration for Los Blancos' all-time top scorer. Upon joining the club ahead of the 2024–25 season, Mbappé announced the news with throwback photos of himself alongside Ronaldo, captured during the days when he was simply a starstruck young supporter.
Now 27, Mbappé is steadily dismantling his idol's records at Real Madrid, and the pair have forged a strong friendship despite being separated by two different continents.
"He is a friend now. It's so great when people you idolize when you're young become your friends," Mbappé said in an interview with Vanity Fair.
"We used to talk a lot, and he helped me in my first year at Madrid, because he knows it very well. We have a wonderful relationship and I'm very happy with it."
Mbappé Chasing Ronaldo's Greatness at Real Madrid
Déjà vu. pic.twitter.com/OP01EdBtQ0
Mbappé has only been at the Bernabéu for two seasons, yet he is already rewriting the record books. He shattered virtually every goalscoring benchmark imaginable during his debut campaign, capping it off with a remarkable 43 goals.
The France international carried that momentum into his second season, netting 29 goals before the calendar even turned to 2025. That tally was enough to match Ronaldo's club record for the most goals scored in a single calendar year (59).
The striker also came within striking distance of Ronaldo's record for the most goals in a single Champions League campaign in 2025–26, though he ultimately finished with 15 strikes — just two short of Ronaldo's benchmark of 17.
Throughout it all, Mbappé has arguably yet to hit his peak in a Real Madrid shirt, hampered by injuries and a lack of team cohesion since his arrival in the Spanish capital. Should a new manager take charge next season and unlock the Frenchman's full potential alongside Vinicius Junior, even greater individual milestones could lie ahead.
Could Mbappé and Ronaldo Face Off at the 2026 World Cup?
One honour Mbappé holds over Ronaldo is a World Cup winners' medal. The former PSG forward claimed football's ultimate prize in 2018 with France, achieving the feat at the remarkable age of just 19.
Both players will be competing across the United States, Canada, and Mexico this summer, as 47 nations vie to dethrone Argentina in the largest World Cup in history. Ronaldo will be particularly driven to deliver for Portugal, as this tournament is likely his final opportunity to claim the title that has long eluded him.
France, however, enter the tournament as one of the frontrunners, and Mbappé will be eager to put his critics to rest by lifting another World Cup — a mission that could very well require him to overcome Ronaldo and Portugal along the way.
Should both nations top their respective groups, as widely anticipated, the two icons would only cross paths in a potential World Cup final — a showdown that would pit one of the greatest players in history against one of the finest of his generation.