Mbappe can be Real ‘legend’ like Ronaldo, says coach Ancelotti

Real Madrid coach Carlo Ancelotti said on Monday superstar striker Kylian Mbappe is capable of becoming a legend at the club like all-time top goalscorer Cristiano Ronaldo.

Mbappe idolised Ronaldo while growing up and after joining Madrid from Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) last summer, has equalled the Portuguese striker’s tally of 33 goals in his first season at the Santiago Bernabeu.

“What I wish for Mbappe is that he is capable of achieving what Ronaldo did at Real Madrid -- and I think that he can do it,” Ancelotti told a news conference.

“That means he will be a legend at Real Madrid, like Cristiano Ronaldo is.”

Ronaldo joined Real from Manchester United in 2009 and departed in 2018 as the club’s top scorer with 450 goals.

The 40-year-old, now at Al-Nassr in Saudi Arabia, scored 33 goals in 35 games in his first campaign with Real Madrid.

Mbappe, 26, notched a brace against Leganes in La Liga on Saturday and said it was “very special” to match Ronaldo.

“We know what he means for Real Madrid and me, we speak, he gives me a lot of advice,” Mbappe told Real Madrid TV.

With Madrid still competing on three fronts this season Mbappe has plenty of time to increase his tally.

Ancelotti’s side host Real Sociedad on Tuesday in a Copa del Rey semi-final second leg clash, holding a 1-0 lead from the first leg in San Sebastian.

Should Madrid go on to win the cup, Ancelotti would become their first coach to lift it on three occasions. “To be close to a final motivates me, it motivates the players and it motivates the club,” said Ancelotti.

Agence France-Presse