'I became a Real Madrid fan because of Zidane. Then Cristiano came…. He’s my other big idol. I watched all matches as a kid, and even as a player!' Kylian Mbappe reveals the two players that endeared him to Los Blancos as a youngster

Kylian Mbappe salutes the fans on his presentation as a Real Madrid player in July 2024.
Kylian Mbappe on the day he was presented at Real Madrid (Image credit: Getty Images)

Kylian Mbappe has revealed he started supporting Real Madrid because of Zinedine Zidane and Cristiano Ronaldo, two players he is now following in the footsteps of.

Born and raised in the Paris suburb of Bondy, Mbappe initially started following Real Madrid because Zidane, who ranked at no.7 in FourFourTwo's list of the greatest players of all time, starred for them when he was a young boy.

Indeed, Mbappe was just three when Zidane completed his £46.2m move from Juventus to Real Madrid, and grew up watching his fellow countryman star at the Bernabeu. He was immediately drawn to the entire aesthetic.

Kylian Mbappe's love of Real Madrid stems from Zidane and Ronaldo

Zinedine Zidane scores with a stunning volley for Real Madrid in the 2002 Champions League final against Bayer Leverkusen at Hampden Park, Glasgow

Zidane's wonder volley in the 2002 Champions League final (Image credit: Alamy)

"I became a Real Madrid fan because of [Zinedine] Zidane," Mbappe told Spanish outlet La Sexta. "As a Frenchman, he’s an idol. I started as a fan of Zizou when he signed with the Galacticos. It’s the best club in the world, it has an aura that others don’t have."

When Cristiano Ronaldo signed for Los Blancos, Mbappe's fandom grew even stronger. He famously had posters of the Portuguese superstar on his bedroom wall as a kid while in the Bondby youth system, dreaming of pulling on the club's whites at the Bernabeu.

Cristiano Ronaldo celebrates after scoring for Real Madrid against Bayern Munich in the Champions League quarter-finals in April 2017.

Ronaldo inspired Mbappe (Image credit: Getty Images)

“When Cristiano arrived, my other idol, I followed all their matches," Mbappe said. "Even if you’re not a Madrid fan, you watch their games because it’s the biggest club in the world. At first, it was a dream, then a goal, and now a reality.”

After years of flirting with the possibility of signing for Real Madrid, Mbappe finally penned a five-year deal in the summer of 2024. He could have been at the club he supported from an earlier age, however, having spent a week on trial at their Valdebebas training ground in his teenage years.

While he ultimately decided against the move, he did get the opportunity to meet his heroes.

“I was 13 years old and didn’t speak Spanish," Mbappe said. "I could only talk with Zidane. It was an unforgettable moment to spend a week at Valdebebas. I knew that one day I would come back here.

KRAGUJEVAC, SERBIA - MARCH 29: Kylian Mbappe of France in action during the UEFA European U19 Championship Elite Round Group 7 match between Serbia and France at Stadium Cika Daca on March 29, 2016 in Kragujevac, Serbia. (Photo by Srdjan Stevanovic/Getty Images)

Mbappe playing in the France youth team (Image credit: Getty Images)

“There was a chance to sign for Madrid, but with my family, it wasn’t the right time. Madrid wanted me to come, but I wasn’t ready at 13. It was better to stay in my country with my friends and family. I think it was a good decision."

Mbappe has previously highlighted his love of AC Milan, too, suggesting that he would like to play for the Rossoneri if he is ever to move to Italy in the future.

Ryan Dabbs
Staff writer

Ryan is a staff writer for FourFourTwo, joining the team full-time in October 2022. He first joined Future in December 2020, working across FourFourTwo, Golf Monthly, Rugby World and Advnture's websites, before eventually earning himself a position with FourFourTwo permanently. After graduating from Cardiff University with a degree in Journalism and Communications, Ryan earned a NCTJ qualification to further develop as a writer while a Trainee News Writer at Future.