The duel between Kylian Mbappé and Cristiano Ronaldo has already begun

Didier Deschamps’ team will face the Portuguese on Friday at 9pm in Hamburg in the quarter-finals of the Euro. The French, who eliminated the Belgians, and the Portuguese, who overcame the Slovenians, will find themselves once again as in the final of Euro 2016. A shower of stars is expected on the pitch, but two men will be particularly watched: Cristiano Ronaldo and Kylian Mbappé who will engage in a new duel from a distance.

Kylian Mbappé will meet the idol of his youth in Hamburg, Germany. When he was fourteen, the captain of the Blues was able to meet Cristiano Ronaldo in Madrid. As a teenager, Mbappé’s room was covered with posters of the five-time Ballon d’Or winner. Now a footballer, Kylian Mbappé has even copied some of his illustrious elder’s technical moves on the pitch. The two players know and respect each other, even if no one will give each other any gifts on Friday.

Cristiano Ronaldo leads 2 wins to 1 against Mbappé

The superstars have met five times during their careers, starting in the last 16 of the Champions League with two victories for CR7’s Real Madrid against Mbappé’s PSG. Later, the two men met again in a draw at the Stade de France in the Nations League between France and Portugal. There was a success for the Blues on Portuguese soil and a draw (2-2) at Euro 2020.

Advantage for Cristiano Ronaldo who won twice against one success in favor of the Frenchman. Now, the student hopes to surpass the master. Kylian Mbappé dreams of winning the Euro like Cristiano Ronaldo who triumphed in 2016 at the Stade de France! The French striker had lived this sad French evening, helpless, in front of his TV.

“We’re going to war,” says Cristiano Ronaldo after qualification against Slovenia

But the 39-year-old Portuguese is playing in this competition for the last time and wants to block the young Frenchman’s path. Cristiano Ronaldo’s words after the Portuguese qualified on Monday evening did not go unnoticed: “We’re going to war,” declared the five-time Ballon d’Or winner, referring to the match against France.

Mbappé stronger than Ronaldo?

This key duel between Mbappé and Ronaldo could result in a passing of the baton between a fading star and the best striker in the world, concedes Diogo Aurivar, journalist at Sport TV Portugal. “I think Mbappé is now stronger than Ronaldo. Our star has a great history, but he is no longer at the top of his game. Mbappé is more important for France than Ronaldo is for Portugal. But the Portuguese team can beat France,” he explains.

For the moment, Kylian Mbappé, like the charismatic leader of Portugal, is struggling to shine in this Euro 2024. The French striker has scored only one goal, on a penalty, Cristiano Ronaldo missed one against Slovenia. But Kylian Mbappé will want to offer a recital on Friday before succeeding Cristiano Ronaldo this summer at Real Madrid and offering himself as soon as possible, a first Ballon d’Or.