As a 14-year-old, Kylian Mbappe plastered his bedroom walls with images of Cristiano Ronaldo.
As of next season, the French wonderkid could well be sharing a changing room with his idol.
Mbappe, the subject of a huge approach from Real Madrid, is poised to swap Monaco for the Spanish capital this summer.
And the switch would complete the remarkable journey from fan to team-mate in four short years.
Mbappe’s love for Real, and particularly Ronaldo, is made evident by pictures taken of him at his home in the Parisian suburb of Bondy, aged 14.
The beaming youngster poses for the camera in front of around two-dozen photographs of the Portuguese in action for Madrid.
Mbappe’s father, Wilfried, has previously shared insights into his son’s deep admiration for Ronaldo, stating that Kylian idolizes the football icon and is a devoted fan of Real Madrid.
This admiration serves as a significant influence on Mbappe’s journey in football, shaping his aspirations and driving his pursuit of excellence on the field.
‘He is a Real Madrid fan and his idol is Cristiano Ronaldo,’ he told France Football last year. ‘He used to spend hours watching videos [of Ronaldo] on the internet.’
In the near future, Mbappe may have the opportunity to meet his football idol face-to-face, which would undoubtedly be a dream come true for the young star.
Such an encounter could serve as a source of inspiration and motivation for Mbappe as he continues to carve out his own path in the world of football.
The teenager’s rise since those pictures were taken is quite extraordinary.
After just 58 first-team appearances, he has been slapped with a price tag of £160million – double the fee Madrid paid Manchester United for his hero Ronaldo in 2009.
Mbappe became Monaco’s youngest-ever first-team player at the age of 16 years, 347 days in 2015 and then the club’s youngest goalscorer aged 17 years and 62 days.
He made his France debut against Luxembourg in March and is now set to become the most expensive footballer in history, with Manchester City rivaling Real for his signature.
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