Kylian Mbappe, Monaco origins revisited before Real Madrid reunion | OneFootball

Formed at Monaco, Kylian Mbappe is set to face his first club with Real Madrid on Tuesday at 21:00 in the Champions League. According to Nice-Matin, those who knew him recall a teenager already ready to dazzle.

Valère Germain remembers colleagues hailing an extraordinary prospect as Mbappe began training with the seniors, and he soon saw it himself. Under Leonardo Jardim he was eased in, debuting in December 2015 with a brief outing against Caen before scoring three months later and starting the next match.

Former club media lead Marc-Olivier Taccard recalls how the 17-year-old handled interviews with striking assurance, needing little instruction and keeping his personality on screen.

While still featuring for the youth side, he starred in the Gambardella Cup final at the Stade de France, scoring twice as Monaco beat Lens 3-0. Taccard says his name was everywhere, yet he was allowed to grow, then surged through the steps.

A concussion at the start of the following season briefly slowed him, but journalist Fabien Pigalle notes he made an impact whenever given minutes. Germain says everything seemed easy for him, from movement to finishing.

The real shift came in February 2017, when Monaco lost the quarter-final first leg 5-3 at the Etihad but No 29 scored his first European goal and added five more on the way to the semi-finals. A dressing-room source says he stayed the same after City, and a Ligue 1 title, 26 goals and 14 assists later he left for the capital.

Source: Nice-Matin