SOCCER

Cristiano Ronaldo reveals his son’s favorite soccer player, and it’s not him or Lionel Messi

Cristiano Ronaldo’s son has made it clear: his father is not his pick for the best player in the world. In fact, the young boy’s favorite player isn’t even Lionel Messi—it's another global superstar.

Cristiano Ronaldo of Al Nassr scores
© Yasser Bakhsh/Getty ImagesCristiano Ronaldo of Al Nassr scores

Cristiano Ronaldo has been a dominant force in world soccer for over 20 years, breaking numerous records and staying at the top longer than any other player before him. This sustained excellence has earned him the GOAT label from fans and analysts alike, in a longstanding rivalry with Lionel Messi. However, despite his legendary status, CR7 recently revealed that his own son favors another player over him.

“My son Mateo is a huge fan of Kylian Mbappe,” Ronaldo revealed in a teaser of an upcoming interview with journalist Edu Aguirre on La Sexta TV, set to air in full next week. There CR7 acknowledged that his son idolizes the French forward, currently playing for Real Madrid.

But the admiration doesn’t stop there. Mateo even enjoys teasing his father about it. “He pokes me sometimes,” Cristiano chuckled, before quoting his son’s playful jab: “Dad, Mbappe is better than you.”

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In typical Ronaldo fashion, the Portuguese icon shared how he responds to such banter. “I tell him, ‘No, dad is better than Mbappe. I have more goals than him,'” he said, eliciting laughter from the interviewer and offering a rare glimpse into his lighthearted family dynamic.

Kylian Mbappe

Kylian Mbappe of Real Madrid celebrates scoring a goal against FC Barcelona at King Abdullah Sports City on January 12, 2025 in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia.

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Mbappe is a logical choice

Cristiano Ronaldo’s older son is Cristiano Jr., who will turn 15 in 2025. Mateo and his twin sister, Eva, were born in 2017, followed by their younger siblings, Alana Martina and Bella Esmeralda, the latter two being Ronaldo’s children with his current partner, Georgina Rodriguez.

Given his age, it’s no surprise that Mateo has chosen Kylian Mbappe as his idol. The French forward is one of the new generation of stars emerging to fill the void left by Cristiano and Lionel Messi, who are slowly stepping away from the spotlight. Like CR7 and Leo more than a decade ago, Kylian is beginning to carve out his own legacy at the top of world soccer.

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Ronaldo vs. Mbappe: The numbers

Despite Mateo’s preference for Mbappe, Ronaldo holds a significant edge in one key area: goals. As the top scorer in the history of soccer, Cristiano has amassed an incredible 921 goals across club and international competitions, including stints with Sporting Lisbon, Manchester United, Real Madrid, Juventus, and now Al Nassr, as well as the Portuguese National Team.

In comparison, Mbappe, with his exceptional yet still developing career, has netted 353 goals between AS Monaco, Paris Saint-Germain, Real Madrid, and France. But when comparing the two at the same age, Kylian’s current tally surpasses Ronaldo’s at 26.

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Mbappe hits 22 goals with Real Madrid: How close is he to surpassing Cristiano Ronaldo’s debut tally?

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At that stage, Cristiano had just begun to establish himself as a prolific scorer at Real Madrid, with just over 200 career goals—a far cry from Mbappe’s current pace. With the French star’s career still in full swing, only time will tell if he can maintain his momentum and challenge the likes of Ronaldo for soccer’s all-time records.

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