Kylian Mbappé learnt to speak Spanish because of Cristiano Ronaldo

Kylian Mbappé was official unveiled as a Real Madrid player on Tuesday, ending a years-long saga that has finally taken him to the Santiago Bernabéu. Madrid’s pursuit of the Frenchman dates back to his teens, when he was just a promising prospect in the Monaco academy, so both parties have had plenty of time to prepare for this day.

The 25-year-old has clearly been working on his language skills and surprised some fans by delivering his opening remarks and conducting his first Real Madrid press conference in fluent Spanish. Mbappé is known as an intelligent and thoughtful character on and off the field and is making a positive first impression with his new club.

But why does Mbappé, who has never previously lived outside of France, speak Spanish so well?

When did Kylian Mbappé learn to speak Spanish?

The photos of a young Mbappé dressed in Real Madrid clothing in a bedroom surrounded by Cristiano Ronaldo posters have been shared far and wide. Mbappé is known to have been a big supporter of the Spanish giants, and a devotee of CR7, from a young age and that appears to have inspired him to learn the language. While living in Monaco Mbappé began taking Spanish classes at the age of 15, reportedly with one eye on a potential move to Real Madrid in his future.

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Since then Kylian has made a real effort to build on his Spanish skills. In a multi-nationality locker room at Paris Saint-Germain Mbappé made an effort to converse with Spanish-speaking teammates in their native language, building up a familiarity with the various different accents and idiosyncrasies. PSG midfielder Pablo Sarabia revealed that he would regularly chat with Mbappé in Spanish, saying: “Kylian speaks Spanish really well, sometimes he talks to me in Spanish.”

Mbappé's move to the Spanish capital was hardly a shock but there is a real pressure on the French star to perform when he takes to the field for the first time at Santiago Bernabéu. He’s joining a Real Madrid team that finished the 2023/24 season as Spanish and European champions, who will be expecting more of the same from in the year and the years to come. The Bernabéu crowd is notoriously hard to please, but Kylian Mbappé has got off to a positive start in his new home.