Hamburg (Reuters)
Kylian Mbappe will enjoy another encounter with his childhood hero Cristiano Ronaldo, whose pictures he has plastered on his bedroom walls, when France face Portugal in the Euro 2016 quarter-finals on Friday.
Mbappe was just 10 when he first met the Portuguese star, bravely asking for his boots after sneaking into the interview area after a 2009 Champions League match between Olympique Marseille and Real Madrid, and still looks up to Ronaldo, 39, as a role model.
“It is a great honour to play against him,” Mbappé said at a press conference. “Everyone knows how much I admire Ronaldo. We are in constant contact. He asks me what is happening in my life, gives me advice, and it is an honour for me. He is an exceptional player. There will never be another Cristiano Ronaldo. He helped change the face of football. He inspired generations, and he continues to do so. He scored a lot of goals, won trophies, and his CV speaks for itself.”
“I have great respect for him, but at the same time I hope he is not happy tomorrow, because I hope we qualify for the semi-finals,” he added.
Mbappe expected a tough match, saying that “small details” would decide matters. He explained, “The European Championship is always close in level. There are only the big teams left and you have to pay attention to all the small details, both in defence and attack. The team has improved during training and we have trained on finishing attacks well. We are ready for tomorrow’s match.”
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