Cristiano Ronaldo: Real Madrid Must Let Kylian Mbappe Be Himself

Kylian Mbappe has the support of Cristiano Ronaldo to become the best striker at Real Madrid (Instagram/@realmadrid).

JAKARTA - Cristiano Ronaldo said Real Madrid must take care of Kylian Mbappe and suggest that the star striker do everything in his own way.

The French player wants to follow in Ronaldo's footsteps as a legend at the Santiago Bernabeu. He has scored 22 goals in all competitions in his debut with Real Madrid, having faced criticism for his performances at the start of the season.

Ronaldo - who is Los Blancos' all-time leading goalscorer with 451 goals - was Mbappe's childhood hero. He once posed with the Al Nassr player when he was a boy.

"Take care of the kid. The fans have to look after him. He is very good. The club must help protect him. I'm sure he will bring a lot of joy to Real Madrid fans."

"I love (Mbappe), not just because of his story as a child, how he loves Cristiano, I am his idol. I think he is a top player," Ronaldo said in an interview with El Chiringuito on Monday, February 3, 2025.

Ronaldo revealed that he is now watching Real Madrid's game because his son, Mateo, is a fan of Mbappe.

The five-time Ballon d'Or winner said he felt Mbappe still needed help adapting to his role in the team.

"It's complicated. In my opinion, he doesn't know how to play as an attacker - or more precisely, not because he doesn't know, but that's not his position."

"If I were at Real Madrid, I would show him how to play number nine."

"I'm not an attacker. I'm used to it, but I'm a winger. People forget that."

"I am an attacker, but not an ordinary striker. I think (Mbappe) should not be an ordinary striker, he should do everything in his own way," Ronaldo said.

Mbappe has won two trophies with Real Madrid, the European Super Cup and the Intercontinental Cup (World Cup Club).

He also scored a goal when Real Madrid were humiliated 2-5 by Barcelona in the Spanish Super Cup last month.

Real Madrid are now facing several test-packed weeks, playing Leganes in the Copa del Rey quarter-finals, before the Madrid Derby with Atletico Madrid and then facing Manchester City in the knockout round of the Champions League.