Real Madrid coach Carlo Ancelotti has expressed confidence that Kylian Mbappe has the potential to achieve legendary status at the club, similar to all-time top scorer Cristiano Ronaldo.
Speaking at a press conference on Monday, Ancelotti stated that he believes the French forward can replicate Ronaldo’s achievements 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 said. “That means he will be a legend at Real Madrid, like Cristiano Ronaldo is.”
Mbappe, 26, joined Real Madrid from Paris Saint-Germain last summer and has equalled Ronaldo’s tally of 33 goals in his debut season with the club. The Portuguese forward, who joined Madrid from Manchester United in 2009 and departed in 2018 as the club’s record scorer with 450 goals, also netted 33 times in his first season.
Following his brace against Leganes in La Liga on Saturday, Mbappe described matching Ronaldo’s record as “very special.”
“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 opportunities to extend his goal tally.
Meanwhile, Ancelotti’s side will host Real Sociedad on Tuesday in the Copa del Rey semi-final second leg, holding a 1-0 advantage from the first leg in San Sebastian. A victory would bring Madrid closer to the final and put Ancelotti on course to become the first coach to win the competition three times with the club.
“To be close to a final motivates me, it motivates the players and it motivates the club,” Ancelotti said. “It’s an achievement to play in a final in any competition, so to be so close, to have a small advantage, and because we’ll have the support of our fans obviously motivates us even more.”
