Real Madrid and France star Kylian Mbappe has spoken about comparisons with Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo, stressing that the two football icons belong to a unique generation that transformed the sport.
As reported by İdman.Biz, Mbappe told AS that he sees himself as a different type of player from Messi but has enormous respect for the Argentine's longevity and ability to remain at the highest level.
Asked whether he could imagine himself still playing at the age of 39, like Messi, Mbappe responded with a joke.
"I'll play until I'm 100 if I have to!" he said with a laugh.
The French forward added that longevity at the highest level depends on a player's ability to understand when his physical capabilities begin to decline.
"Will I still be as good? It's a question of intelligence — understanding when you can no longer do it. He hasn't had to think about that because he still can. And then… Messi is Messi. I consider myself a different player. But he is special even among those who stand apart from everyone else," Mbappe said.
The Real Madrid striker also reflected on being compared with Messi and Ronaldo, who dominated world football for more than a decade and won a combined 13 Ballon d'Or awards.
"They belong to another era. In their category, the two of them are the only ones. I'm from the next generation, and I was inspired by them. They changed the rules of the game and changed the way we think about football. There is a 'before' and an 'after'. That's what allows you to leave an indelible mark," Mbappe said.
The France captain stressed that he does not feel pressure from comparisons with the two legendary forwards.
"There is no pressure from thinking that you're worse than Messi or Ronaldo," he added.
Mbappe, who joined Real Madrid in 2024 after seven seasons at Paris Saint-Germain, has long been regarded as one of the leading figures of the generation that followed Messi and Ronaldo.
