Kylian Mbappe says it is “an honour” to play against Cristiano Ronaldo as France prepare to take on Portugal in their Euro 2024 quarter-final.
Frenchman Mbappe, 25, signed for Real Madrid this summer – a club where Ronaldo won four successive Champions League titles.The two will go head-to-head in Hamburg on Friday (kick-off 20:00 BST) and Mbappe describes it as “a pleasure” to face Portugal’s five-time Ballon d’Or winner.
“It’s the admiration I’ve always had for Cristiano, for the player. Over time, I’ve had the chance to get to know him and talk to him many times. We’re still in touch,” said Mbappe.
“He’s always trying to give me advice and keep up to date with what’s going on. Playing against him is an honour for everything he’s done in football. “No matter what happened before or what happens after, he’ll always be a legend of the game. But of course we hope to win and reach the semi-finals.”
Ronaldo, 39, said this week it would be his last Euros so this showdown with Mbappe is being described as a “handover” between two great players. But Mbappe says the Portugal legend is “unique” and he will follow his own path when he begins his stint with Madrid.
“There will only be one [Ronaldo] I was lucky enough to have the opportunity to start living my dream as a player in Madrid,” he added.”I hope I’ll write a great story there, but I’m certainly not going there to write the rest of Cristiano’s story. What he did in Madrid is unique.
“You have to appreciate what he has been, what he is. I’ve never been an envious person, so I just want to admire the greatness of the player.”He left his mark on the history of football. He inspired generations. He has scored many goals and won many titles. So his CV speaks for itself.”
Team news
There are no injury concerns for Portugal but after a gruelling 120 minutes against Slovenia, there could be rotation.
France midfielder Adrien Rabiot is suspended after picking up a second booking in their 1-0 win over Belgium.
That means there could be starts for Ousmane Dembele or Eduardo Camavinga, while Kingsley Coman left camp for the birth of his child earlier this week.
Best of the stats
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France have only lost one of their past 14 games against Portugal (W11, D2), although that defeat came in the Euro 2016 final at the Stade de France (0-1).
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This will be Portugal’s seventh appearance in the quarter-finals of the Euros – the most of any side since the round was introduced in 1996.
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France are looking to reach the semi-finals for the fourth time in the past five major tournaments.
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France have failed to score a goal from open play in their past five matches, with their three goals at Euro 2024 coming from two own goals and a penalty by Mbappe.
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Portugal have failed to score in their past two matches. They’ve never failed to score in three consecutive games at a major tournament.
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Having scored 10 goals in nine major tournament games between 2018 and 2022, Portugal’s Ronaldo has now failed to score in his past eight appearances at the World Cup/Euros.
