Mbappe reveals near-move to Liverpool and talks Ronaldo, Ballon d'Or

The Real Madrid forward says he held talks with Jurgen Klopp and nearly joined Liverpool as a Monaco teenager before choosing PSG.

Kylian Mbappe has revealed how close he came to joining Liverpool while he was still a Monaco player. In an interview with The Athletic, the Real Madrid forward said his mother was a strong advocate of a move to Anfield and traveled to England to visit the city, the stadium and meet club officials during the first stage of negotiations.

Mbappe said his mother admired then-manager Jurgen Klopp, and the player himself built a good relationship with the Liverpool boss. The two even met aboard a private jet that picked Mbappe up in Nice and circled in the air while Klopp laid out his vision for the forward.

Despite those talks, Mbappe chose to sign for Paris Saint-Germain. The Paris-born striker explained that he wanted to prove himself in his hometown before leaving his country, and no other destination carried the same feeling at that stage of his career.

Mbappe also discussed his long-standing admiration for Cristiano Ronaldo, saying posters of the Portuguese star covered his bedroom as a child and that the Manchester United era left the biggest impression. He described the relationship as having evolved from idol to friend, with the two exchanging advice and support.

On his own achievements, Mbappe noted his record of 22 goals in 22 World Cup appearances and his status as France's all-time top scorer with 66 goals in 106 games. He said Ronaldo and Lionel Messi have shown that reaching 100 international goals is possible, adding, 'Why not?'

After scoring 42 goals in 44 games for Real Madrid last season, Mbappe acknowledged he is in the Ballon d'Or conversation. He said the award matters to him but is not something he has ever claimed he would win.