Kylian Mbappe says he is drawing on inspiration from Cristiano Ronaldo as he plots to maintain his place as a world superstar.
Many expect Mbappe to leave Paris Saint-Germain this summer, three years after he joined the club from Monaco on an initial loan deal.
Real Madrid have long been mentioned as a possible destination for the 21-year-old World Cup winner, with Liverpool also touted as a suitor.
When asked about his idols by Gazzetta dello Sport , it was a couple of Real icons who came to mind for Mbappe.
"If you're French, obviously you would have grown up with (Zinedine) Zidane as your idol," he said.
"After that, it was Cristiano Ronaldo , who I have been fortunate enough to have faced as a rival, at club level and with the national team"
Mbappe also namechecked several South American stars.
"I also love Brazilian players like Pelé, Ronaldinho, Ronaldo Nazario and Ricardo Kaka," he said.
"And to the young players who look up to me, I'd like to send them a message from someone who believed in their dream, always giving the best they had to give, trying to push their own limits to be able to make a mark in sport."
It was when the prospect of emulating Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo came up that former Monaco man Mbappe claimed that he would like to follow the latter, who has turned out for Manchester United , Real Madrid and Juventus since leaving his native Portugal.
"It's too late for me to carve out a career like Messi's, I would have had to stay at Monaco," he continued.
"Without taking anything away from Messi, now I have to draw on Cristiano's career for inspiration"
