Kylian Mbappe copies both Cristiano Ronaldo AND Lionel Messi celebrations after Real Madrid star’s hat-trick vs Man City
KYLIAN MBAPPE gave a nod to two of the greats as he singlehandedly tore apart Manchester City in the Champions League.
Mbappe netted a hattrick to send the Cityzens packing from the competition before they could even reach the last 16 proper in a 3-1 win (6-3 on aggregate).
It was a performance to remember for Mbappe, who not only channelled his inner Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi with his efforts on the ball, but also with his celebrations.
The Frenchman gave a nod to each of the stars as he celebrated his goals at the Santiago Bernabeu.
His first goal, a delightful chip over Ederson, saw him recreate Ronaldo's most recent celebration to the raucous home fans.
Ronaldo imitated a chipped ball with his hand after netting against Al Wasl earlier this month.
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And Mbappe appeared to do the same thing after looping the ball over Ederson's head and soaking up the atmosphere with his arms outstretched.
He made sure his second goal, a twisting finish into the bottom corner, was all his own - celebrating with his teammates and enjoying a goal that put Madrid well and truly in the driving seat.
But his celebration for his hattrick goal was reserved for a tribute to Lionel Messi.
After scoring a drilled left-footed effort from the edge of the area, Mbappe counted his three goals out on his fingers - mimicking Lionel Messi's celebration from back in 2011 against Mallorca.
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Despite honouring two of the greatest players to ever play the game, Mbappe is very much creating his own legacy at the moment.
After his performance on Wednesday night, the 26-year-old now has over 500 career goal contributions.
Despite his electric display, teammate Jude Bellingham was keen to remind fans that there's so much more to Madrid that Mbappe.
He told TNT Sports: "Kylian is just flying now. But sometimes we need a reminder that talent isn’t enough.
"You need organisation, you need commitment and we have worked on that after some bad results recently."
Manager Carlo Ancelotti described the World Cup winner as "fantastic" in his post match interview, while even club legend Zinedine Zidane seemed impressed from the stands.
Mbappe's ode to Ronaldo and Messi should come as no surprise with the star idolising the pair throughout his entire career.
He previously said of Ronaldo: "I just want to admire Cristiano's greatness.
"There will be no one like him. He has left a mark on football history."
While he gushed about Messi, despite suffering World Cup final heartbreak at the hands of his Argentina side in 2022.
Mbappe, who played with Messi at PSG, said: "Playing with Leo Messi is definitely something I miss a lot.
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"You always miss not playing with Leo Messi anymore! For an attacker like me, who likes to attack spaces, with him you have the certainty that you can get the ball.
"It was a luxury that almost only he can give you. Beyond that, playing with Messi was special."
