Real Madrid coach Carlo Ancelotti believes that Kylian Mbappe has the potential to become a legend at the club, just like Cristiano Ronaldo. Mbappe, who joined Real Madrid from Paris Saint-Germain last summer, has already made a significant impact, equaling Ronaldo’s tally of 33 goals in his first season 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 in a news conference. “That means he will be a legend at Real Madrid, like Cristiano Ronaldo is.”
Mbappe, 26, scored a brace against Leganes in La Liga on Saturday and said it was “very special” to match Ronaldo’s record. “We know what he means for Real Madrid and me, we speak, he gives me a lot of advice,” Mbappe told Real Madrid TV.
Ancelotti’s side host Real Sociedad on Tuesday in a Copa del Rey semi-final second leg clash, holding a 1-0 lead from the first leg in San Sebastian. Should Madrid go on to win the cup, Ancelotti would become their first coach to lift it on three occasions.
“To be close to a final motivates me, it motivates the players, and it motivates the club,” said Ancelotti. “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.”
With Madrid still competing on three fronts this season, Mbappe has plenty of time to increase his tally and cement his place in Real Madrid’s history books.