Zinedine Zidane reflects on Kylian Mbappe, from Real Madrid trial to France captain | OneFootball

France manager Zinedine Zidane has revisited his first meeting with a teenage Kylian Mbappe during a Real Madrid trial, as France prepare to face Türkiye. According to Goal.com, the pair have reconnected on the international stage more than a decade after that initial visit.

In 2012 at Valdebebas, a 14-year-old Mbappe from Clairefontaine spent a week in Madrid during his school holidays. Chased by Europe’s elite, he and his family were given the full treatment, including a private box at the Santiago Bernabeu. Training sessions also brought him close to Cristiano Ronaldo.

Zidane, then working within the club’s hierarchy, personally showed the youngster around. The move did not happen, with Mbappe’s family opting for AS Monaco, yet the impression endured.

Reflecting now, Zidane said he never imagined he would later join up with Mbappe in the France set-up in 2026, since it was not planned. What struck him then was the forward’s potential and what he could do on the pitch.

He added that he could not say Mbappe surprised everyone, but there was clear enthusiasm at Madrid about the idea of him playing there. It did not materialise at the time. Mbappe eventually signed for the club in 2024.

As France look ahead to their next tests, the Zidane-Mbappe dynamic is viewed as a key pillar of future success. Uniting icons from different generations has lifted the squad’s mood. Zidane’s experience with high-profile personalities, and his long-standing rapport with Mbappe, could prove vital in major tournaments.

Source: Goal.com

“Artificial intelligence was used to assist in creating this article based on reporting from the original source quoted.”