“When you are a huge Cristiano fan, you can’t see how good Messi is” - When Kylian Mbappe changed stance on Ronaldo Vs Messi debate
Kylian Mbappe notably changed his stance on the Cristiano Ronaldo vs Lionel Messi debate after he played alongside the Argentine legend at Paris Saint-Germain. The duo played together for two years after La Pulga left Barcelona for Paris, winning three trophies at PSG.
Ronaldo was Mbappe's idol when he was growing up and the Frenchman admitted that the heated rivalry between the Portuguese forward and Messi led him to diminish the Argentine's achievements.
However, after Messi had moved to Inter Miami from PSG, the French World Cup winner stated that his stance had changed regarding the two legends. He said (via @Messimo10 on X):
"I love Cristiano and I was a fan of him when I was young. When you are a fan of Cristiano at that age you can't see how good Messi is. Now I've grown up and I love them both."
Kylian Mbappe has been compared to the two legends because of his goal-scoring qualities from such a young age. Now 25 years old, the Frenchman has spent the last six years dominating the Ligue 1 scoring charts, while winning nearly everything with the Parisians.
The Frenchman recently announced his long-awaited move to Real Madrid as a free agent and posted a picture from his childhood alongside his idol Cristiano Ronaldo.
Cristiano Ronaldo, Lionel Messi, and Kylian Mbappe feature on Forbes' highest-paid athletes
Following his big-money move to Saudi Arabian side Al-Nassr, Ronaldo topped Forbes' list of highest paid athletes. The 39-year-old Portuguese legend has the most lucrative contract in the world of football, raking in $199 million a year in the Middle East. He also has other sponsorship deals that enhance his financial profile by $61 million.
Messi also left Europe last year, moving across the pond to Inter Miami in the MLS, where he has already led them to the Leagues Cup title. His earnings come to approximately $135 million, according to Forbes (via GOAL).
Mbappe is also on Forbes' list of highest earning athletes, but the Frenchman sits in sixth place, as he earns around $110 million per year.