Kylian Mbappe has expressed his excitement at sharing the pitch with Cristiano Ronaldo in the highly anticipated Euro 2024 quarter-final while emphasizing his determination to lead France past Portugal. The European powerhouses are set to meet in Hamburg on Friday night, with a semi-final spot at stake.
France, runners-up in the World Cup, have had a mixed tournament in Germany, finishing second in Group D and narrowly defeating Belgium thanks to a late own goal in the last-16 round. In contrast, Portugal topped Group F despite an unexpected loss to Georgia and progressed past Slovenia on penalties after a goalless draw.
The matchup between Mbappe and Ronaldo is a compelling subplot to the main event, with Mbappe now considered the world’s best player, having eclipsed Ronaldo’s achievements in recent years. The French forward plays for Real Madrid, where Ronaldo made his mark as a legend by scoring 450 goals in 438 matches and winning four Champions League titles.
“Cristiano Ronaldo is unique, an icon. He has inspired an entire generation,” Mbappe stated ahead of the quarter-final. “It is an honour to play against him.
Everyone knows about my admiration for Cristiano. His CV speaks for itself. There will never be another player like him. Respect to him, he remains a legend of the game, but I hope we win tomorrow and take a step closer to the final.”
France and Portugal have a storied rivalry, with France winning 19 of their 28 encounters. Their last meeting in Euro 2020’s group stage ended in an entertaining 2-2 draw.
Mbappe, a former PSG star, has struggled to find top form at the Euros, partly due to a broken nose sustained against Austria in France’s opening match. Meanwhile, Ronaldo, playing in his record sixth European Championship, has yet to score in the tournament, missing a penalty against Slovenia before converting in the shootout.
Keywords: Kylian Mbappe, Cristiano Ronaldo, Euro 2024, quarter-final, France, Portugal, Hamburg, Real Madrid, World Cup finalists, Group D, Group F, last-16, penalties, PSG, European Championship, legend, inspiration, broken nose, semi-final.
