Kylian Mbappé has once again spoken about his time alongside Lionel Messi at Paris Saint-Germain, calling it a stroke of luck and something he never imagined would happen. Softfootball, in an earlier report, revealed that Mbappé claimed Cristiano Ronaldo is his ultimate role model, and for the French forward, who grew up dreaming only of Real Madrid, sharing the same dressing room with the Barcelona legend felt surreal.
Mbappé admitted that playing with Messi was both a surprise and a huge privilege. As quoted by transfer expert Fabrizio Romano via his official X account, Mbappe explained that Messi wasn’t just the superstar the world saw on TV but also one of the most humble and respectful teammates he’d ever met. Mbappé reflected warmly on their partnership, and he also confessed that he never once imagined wearing the same shirt as Messi because his childhood dream had always been Madrid, not Barcelona.
He revealed:
I was lucky to be able to play with Leo Messi. He is totally normal; he has respect for everyone. I never thought I’d play with him because my dream was always Real Madrid; I never thought about joining Barcelona in my life.
During their two seasons together at PSG (2021–2023), Mbappé and Messi formed one of Europe’s most exciting attacking trios with Neymar. They combined for more than 30 goal contributions between them, helping PSG win two Ligue 1 titles and a Coupe de France. Mbappé has often said that being around Messi helped him see football differently; watching how Messi read the game, moved, and created space gave him a new perspective on what greatness looks like.
Their chemistry extended beyond France. The two famously faced each other in the 2022 World Cup final a match that ended 3-3 before Argentina triumphed on penalties. Mbappé scored a hat-trick that night yet still called it an honor to compete against Messi on the world’s biggest stage, and the Frenchman was revealed to have recently picked up a knock by Didier Deschamps while on international duty.
Now at Real Madrid, where he’s already won the Pichichi and Golden Shoe in his debut season, Mbappé still speaks of Messi with deep admiration. For him, those PSG years weren’t just about trophies; they were about learning from a player he calls a unique gift to football.
