During his time at Paris Saint-Germain, Kylian Mbappé shared two unforgettable seasons with Lionel Messi, forming one of the most talented duos in world football.
In an interview with Universo Valdano, the French forward spoke with rare emotion about what it meant to play alongside the Argentine icon.
“I was lucky to play with Leo Messi. He’s completely normal, respects everyone. I never thought I’d play with him. I always believed he would stay in Barcelona forever.”
From 2021 to 2023, the pair played 67 matches together, winning two Ligue 1 titles and a French Cup. Their chemistry on the pitch was remarkable — Messi provided 20 assists to Mbappé, who returned the favor with 14 assists of his own.
“He helped me a lot to understand the game. Playing with Leo was a blessing. I can only thank him — it was a golden opportunity,” Mbappé added.
The French star didn’t just praise Messi’s footballing genius — he also highlighted his humility and leadership inside the locker room.
“When you think of players who’ve made history, you think of Messi. But he was a very normal person in the dressing room. He respected everyone.”
Mbappé explained that being close to Messi was like attending a daily masterclass.
“When you have someone like that next to you, you watch everything he does — how he finishes, how he controls the ball, how he positions himself. Being around him helped me understand football in a deeper way.”
Despite his admiration for Messi, Mbappé admitted that his greatest influence has always been Cristiano Ronaldo, the man he now follows in Real Madrid’s legacy.
“Cristiano has always been my role model, my example. I’m lucky to talk to him, to get advice. He’s the number one here at Real Madrid. But I want to make my own path — to make people dream about me the same way.”
Between respect for Messi and inspiration from Ronaldo, Kylian Mbappé stands at the crossroads of two eras — ready to write his own chapter as the next global icon of football.
