Ex-Arsenal forward chooses himself when asked to pick faster player between Kylian Mbappe and Vinicius Jr
Former Arsenal striker Theo Walcott has cheekily chose himself when asked to pick the faster player between Real Madrid strikers Kylian Mbappe and Vinicius Junior. Mbappe moved to Los Blancos this month on a free transfer.
The Frenchman's arrival after a seven-season stint at PSG has made Carlo Ancelotti's side one of the most feared in Spain and Europe, with South American sensation Endrick also set to arrive.
Widely regarded as two of the best young players in the game, Vinicius and Mbappe are also renowned for their bilstering pace and ability to take on defences. However, Walcott was also renowned for much of the same attributes during his younger days.
As per Madrid Universal, when asked to pick the faster player between Vinicius and Mbappe, Walcott offered a cheeky one-word response:
"Me"
The now retired England international spent 13 seasons at the Emirates, making nearly 400 appearances and contributing 108 goals and 73 assists. He won five titles - including three FA Cups with the Gunners - but the Premier League eluded him.
Walcott retired at the end of the 2022-23 season after a short stint with Southampton.
How Kylian Mbappe and Vinicius Junior fared last season
Both Kylian Mbappe and Vinicius Junior have had impressive 2023-24 campaigns, with each striker winning three titles with their respective club. While both won their respective league title, Vinicius won the UEFA Champions League as well, which has eluded Mbappe so far.
In what turned out to be his seventh and final season at the Parc des Princes, Mbappe produced his most prolific campaign for the club. The 2018 FIFA World Cup winner contributed 44 goals and 10 assists in 48 games across competitions.
He helped the Parisians to another Ligue 1 title, Coupe des France and the Trophee des Champions but got eliminated in the Champions League semifinals with a 2-0 aggregate loss to Borussia Dortmund.
Meanwhile, Vinicius enjoyed an injury-plagued but prolific season with Los Blancos, bagging 24 goals and 11 assists in 39 games across competitions. One of those goals came in the 2-0 UEFA Champions League final win over BvB earlier this month.
The Brazilian also won the La Liga and Supercopa Espana titles during the campaign.