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Brazil and Real Madrid legend Ronaldo Nazario has claimed that France and Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) star Kylian Mbappe bears a striking resemblance to him during his professional career as a footballer.
Mbappe lit up the grandest stage of the sport at the 2022 FIFA World Cup earlier this month. He bagged the Golden Boot award after netting eight goals and contributing two assists in seven games in the process.
A complete forward renowned for his pace and shooting, the AS Monaco academy graduate became the second player to bag a hat-trick in a FIFA World Cup final. However, the 24-year-old failed to lift the trophy for the second time as Argentina emerged victorious 4-2 on penalties.
Speaking to Apostagolos, Ronaldo shared his thoughts on Mbappe's performance at the 2022 FIFA World Cup. He elaborated:
"There were a lot of fast players during this World Cup but Mbappe was by far the one with the best speed. In fact, when I see him play, he reminds me of myself in my best years."
Heaping praise on the right-footed striker, Ronaldo continued:
"He knows how to exploit the smallest space perfectly, he is unpredictable with but also without the ball and in one against one, he is formidable. For me, it is simply impressive."
Operating as the main striker in Christophe Galtier's 3-4-2-1 setup at PSG, Mbappe has scored 19 goals and laid out five assists in 20 matches across all competitions in the ongoing 2022-23 campaign.
Ronaldo, on the other hand, earned recognition for his world-class performances at both club and national levels. He has registered a whopping 362 goals and 98 assists in 557 overall appearances for Brazil and clubs like Real Madrid, Barcelona, Inter Milan, AC Milan, and PSV Eindhoven.
Apart from helping Selecao win two FIFA World Cups and two Copa Americas, he also lifted two La Ligas, one UEFA Cup, two UEFA Super Cups, one Copa del Rey, and two Supercopa de Espana trophies.
Brazil legend Ronaldo comments on France's 2022 FIFA World Cup campaign
Speaking to Apostagolos, Ronaldo claimed that two-time FIFA World Cup winner France met his expectations in 2022. He said:
"From the first match, France met expectations and showed that they were there to do the double. In my eyes, France was one of the big favorites of this World Cup. The team was strong in all positions and they managed to make up for the numerous absences due to injuries and it is the only selection to have done so. "
The two-time Ballon d'Or winner continued:
"Before the start of the competition, I wanted a final between France and Brazil. That was my prediction. But Brazil were eliminated in the quarter-finals. On the other hand, France met my expectations by going to the final. I think they have a great future."
