In pictures: When French superstar footballer Kylian Mbappe threw out the first pitch at Dodgers Stadium in 2019
Back in 2019, Kylian Mbappe threw the first pitch at a Los Angeles Dodgers game. He was on holiday in the United States when the French footballer decided to go on a tour of important sporting venues in the country.
Kylian Mbappe is a name that already needs no introduction. To think that he is just 24 years of age and has already accomplished more than what other footballers would in their lifetime, shows his prowess.
Mbappe was highly influential for Les Bleus as they reached the finals of the FIFA World Cup. They were looking to become the first team in 60 years to win in consecutive editions, having also won in 2018.
A year on from his 2018 World Cup win, Kylian Mbappe visited the United States on a holiday tour. He visited many sporting venues and enjoyed his time in the country. One of those sporting venues happened to be the iconic Dodgers Stadium, home of the Los Angeles Dodgers.
Mbappe was sporting a Dodgers jersey with black shorts and a cap. He had his name and the number 10 printed on the jersey. Even though his preferred number is seven, also the number worn by his idol Cristiano Ronaldo, he wears the number 10 for his national team.
Before throwing the pitch, he greeted the crowd who cheered him on. Mbappe then practiced his throwing motion prior to throwing out the ceremonial first pitch. He also showed off his football skills as he performed kick-ups on the pitchers' mound.
Kylian Mbappe also met basketball legend LeBron James during his time in the US
Kylian Mbappe's US tour back in 2019 was very eventful as Nike used his offseason holiday for a promotional tour. As part of the profile building, he also attended the NBA Finals between the Golden State Warriors and the Toronto Raptors at the Warriors' home, the Oracle Arena in Oakland.
Mbappe was also pictured with basketball legend LeBron James at a Nike training center and gifted him a bottle of Château Lafite Rothschild 1984 wine. However, this wasn't the first time that the 2018 World Cup winner had met the veteran NBA superstar. The duo first met when James was on a Nike promotional tour in France the previous year.
The 24-year-old completed his tour with a trip to the Nike HQ in Portland, Oregon, where he shot promotional videos for a new brand of clothing.