7 Interesting Kylian Mbappe Facts You Should Know.
- Think Football Ideas
- Dec 3, 2022
- 5 min read
Updated: May 12
Full name: Kylian Mbappe Lottin
Date of birth: 20 December 1998
Place of birth: Paris, France
Height: 1.78 m (5 ft 10 in)
Position: Forward
Current team: Real Madrid
Kylian Mbappe is one of the defining footballers of his generation.
Despite still being in the prime years of his career, the French superstar has achieved what many players can only dream of, winning major honours for both club and country while becoming one of the most recognisable athletes in world football.
Yet for such a high-profile athlete, known worldwide by millions of adoring fans, what more is there left to discover about the sporting celebrity that is Kylian Mbappe?
Below are the 7 Interesting Kylian Mbappe Facts You Should Know!
His First Idol Wasn't Cristiano Ronaldo
He Almost Joined Chelsea
He Was AS Monaco's Youngest Player Ever
He Could Have Played For Two Other Countries
He Loves His Footwear
He's Faster Than Usain Bolt
He's The Highest Earner In World Football
1. His First Idol Wasn't Cristiano Ronaldo
You may have seen the famous image of a young Kylian Mbappé sitting on his bed, with all four walls plastered with Cristiano Ronaldo posters and memorabilia.
It’s well known that Mbappe admired the Portuguese superstar from a young age, long before becoming a professional footballer himself. But did you know that Cristiano Ronaldo was not actually his first football idol?
“My first idol was Zinedine Zidane for everything he achieved with the national team,” Mbappe revealed during an online interview. “Then it was Cristiano Ronaldo because he has won a lot and continues to be a winner even after so much success.”
Mbappe has always spoken highly about the importance of international football and the idea of becoming a global football icon. Even at a young age, his achievements with France were extraordinary, already becoming a World Cup winner and one of the faces of French football.
2. He Almost Joined Chelsea
Back in 2012, a 12-year-old Kylian Mbappe was already attracting interest from some of Europe’s biggest clubs, including Real Madrid. English clubs were also monitoring his progress, with Liverpool, Manchester City and Chelsea all linked at various points.
Chelsea eventually invited Mbappe for a trial, but reports later claimed that the club were not fully convinced and instead offered him a place in their academy system rather than an immediate long-term commitment.
Mbappe’s mother reportedly rejected the proposal, believing her son’s talent deserved stronger faith from the club. Just a year later, Mbappe joined AS Monaco and quickly became one of the brightest young talents in European football.
3. He Was AS Monaco's Youngest Player Ever
Mbappe was just 13 years old when he signed for AS Monaco’s academy. Only a few years later, he made his Ligue 1 debut and became the club’s youngest-ever first-team player at 16 years and 347 days old, breaking a long-standing record previously held by Thierry Henry.
During his first full season with Monaco, Mbappe scored 26 goals and provided eight assists in all competitions as the club won Ligue 1 and reached the Champions League semi-finals.
His rise was spectacular, and after only 60 appearances for Monaco, he completed a huge move to Paris Saint-Germain in a deal worth around €180 million.
4. He Could Have Played For Two Other Countries Due to His Heritage
It is difficult to imagine Kylian Mbappe representing any nation other than France, particularly after becoming a World Cup winner and one of the country’s biggest sporting icons.
However, Mbappe was also eligible to represent both Algeria and Cameroon through his family heritage. His mother has Algerian roots, while his father is originally from Cameroon.
Despite these connections, Mbappe’s love for France and the football culture he grew up around made his international choice feel almost inevitable.
He progressed through the famous Clairefontaine academy system before representing France at the youth level and eventually becoming one of the leading figures in the senior national team.
5. He Loves His Footwear
One of Mbappe’s biggest passions away from football is footwear. In particular, he has long had a love for trainers and football boots, especially products connected to Nike.
Growing up, Mbappe reportedly dreamed of owning Nike Air Max trainers, despite his family not always being able to afford them at the time.
Nike Vapour boots were also among his favourites as a youngster, and teammates would often ask to borrow them. Mbappe, however, was said to be extremely protective of his collection.
As his profile grew, Nike invested heavily in his personal brand, even creating sections in its stores and online platforms dedicated to Mbappe-themed footwear and apparel.
6. He's One of Football’s Fastest Players
Everyone knows Kylian Mbappe is incredibly quick. Speed has always been one of the most dangerous parts of his game, particularly when driving directly at defenders in open space.
During a Ligue 1 match for PSG against his former club Monaco in 2019, Mbappe clocked a sprint speed of 23.6 mph during the build-up to one of his goals.
Those numbers placed him alongside some of the fastest athletes in world sport and helped strengthen his reputation as one of football’s quickest players.
7. He Finally Joined Real Madrid
For years, Kylian Mbappe had been heavily linked with a move to Real Madrid, with speculation surrounding his future dominating football headlines across Europe.
After several failed attempts by the Spanish giants to sign him earlier in his career, Mbappe finally completed his long-awaited move to Real Madrid in 2024, becoming the club’s latest Galactico signing.
The transfer was viewed as one of the biggest moments in modern football, with Mbappe joining one of the world’s most successful clubs during the peak years of his career.
Already a World Cup winner and one of the biggest stars in the sport, Mbappe’s move to Madrid further strengthened his status as one of football’s defining players of the modern era.
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