Ronaldo Nazário Praises Mbappé: “He Reminds Me of Myself at My Best”
And coming from Ronaldo Nazário, that praise carries enormous weight.
The Brazilian legend compares the French superstar to his prime version after World Cup record milestones
Ronaldo Nazário has paid one of the highest compliments possible to Kylian Mbappé, admitting that the French forward reminds him of himself during his peak years.
Speaking to L’Équipe, the Brazilian icon—widely regarded as one of the greatest players in football history—praised Mbappé’s performances and evolution, especially after both he and Lionel Messi surpassed Ronaldo’s World Cup goal tally.
“All records are there to be broken, but you also have to think about the legacy you leave behind,” Ronaldo said. “Both of them go beyond statistics and deserve to be among the top scorers in the history of the competition. Messi is one of the greatest players ever and is still decisive today.”
He then turned his focus to Mbappé: “His style of play reminds me of mine at my best. He’s one of the best players in the world right now and a natural heir to the legends of this sport.”
A Stunning World Cup Record
Ronaldo scored 15 goals in World Cups across 19 matches. Lionel Messi has now reached 19 goals in 29 appearances, while Mbappé already has 16 goals in just 17 matches.
When it comes to efficiency, Mbappé stands out even more. The Real Madrid forward averages a goal every 87 minutes in World Cups—better than Ronaldo’s 108 minutes per goal and Messi’s 132.
At this rate, Mbappé is closing in on the rare benchmark of scoring once per game on average in the tournament—an extraordinary achievement at the highest level.
A Modern-Day “Fenómeno”
Mbappé’s similarities to Ronaldo go beyond numbers. Like the Brazilian during his prime, the Frenchman combines explosive speed, strength, dribbling ability, and clinical finishing. In one-on-one situations, he is almost unstoppable.
Both players also share early World Cup success, having already lifted the trophy at a young age. However, one challenge still remains for Mbappé: winning the UEFA Champions League—a title that also eluded Ronaldo during his career.
A Future Legend in the Making
Beyond breaking records, Mbappé is now in a position to potentially become the all-time top scorer in World Cup history. While Messi currently leads, this could be his final tournament, whereas Mbappé may still have two or even three World Cups ahead of him.
If he maintains his current trajectory, there is little doubt that Mbappé will finish his career among the greatest names in football history—not just of his generation, but of all time.
