Kylian Mbappé Childhood Story (What you didn’t know)
Kylian Mbappé Childhood
The footballer was born on December 20, 1998, to father, Wilfried Mbappe, and mother, Fayza Mbappe Lamari, in the suburb of Bondy, northeast of Paris, France.
Kylian’s upbringing in Bondy was not easy. He spent his formative years in the suburbs of Paris, a city that suffered from violence and riots.
One of the most significant incidents was the 2005 riot, which was one of the worst for the commune. It resulted in the burning of several cars and public buildings.
All of this happened close to the area where Mbappé’s parents lived. In essence, Bondy is known for its history of riots and social unrest.
Although he went through turbulence during his childhood, the path to becoming a future great football player was set for Mbappé.
That assurance came from his father, Wilfried Mbappé, who was determined to secure his son’s future despite the turmoil.
Raised in the Bondy neighborhood, young Kylian was inseparable from football.
His passion for the game was so intense that he even used the soccer ball as a pillow to sleep on. In an interview, his father, Wilfried, once commented on his soccer-obsessed son.
Childhood of Kylian Mbappe and AS Bondy
At the age of six, in 2004, Wilfried enrolled young Kylian at AS Bondy, where he worked as a coach.
From then on, the main focus was on Kylian’s footballing development. Even at a young age, the talented youngster began contributing to AS Bondy’s trophy wins.
With his father’s guidance, young Kylian quickly mastered clinical finishing, speed and dribbling.
Kylian Mbappé’s childhood in Rennes
At that time, Kylian and his parents often visited Stade Rennais to watch his older half-brother Jirès Kembo-Ekoko play.
As Kylian approached his teenage years, Wilfried believed it was time for his son to leave his current club (AS Bondy) to join a bigger academy.
So the family decided that Kylian should join his older brother at Stade Rennais FC.
Kylian was invited to the trials, which took the form of an observation tournament for under-12s.
And guess what? The young man single-handedly led his team to victory and won the competition trophy.
Immediately after the tournament, Kylian emerged as the best player, becoming the number one priority of Rennais’ recruitment team.
Desperate to secure his entry, the club even sent officials to visit Kylian’s family home in an attempt to persuade Fayza and Wilfried to allow their son to join the academy.
Kylian Mbappé’s childhood at Clairefontaine
After unsuccessful negotiations with Rennes, Mbappé ended up enrolling at the French national football school.
Clairefontaine is known as France’s national football center, specializing in developing the country’s best young talent.
Through his footballing education, Kylian joined Hall of Famers such as Thierry Henry, Hatem Ben Arfa, Nicolas Anelka, Blaise Matuidi and William Gallas.
His exceptional performances caught the attention of major European clubs such as Chelsea, Real Madrid, Liverpool, Manchester City and Bayern Munich, who invited him to participate in football trials.
At the age of 12, Kylian embarked on a journey to meet European teams interested in evaluating his skills. His first destination was England.
Upon arrival, Kylian’s parents booked an apartment for them, where he decorated the walls of his bedroom with posters of his idol, Cristiano Ronaldo.
Kylian Mbappe posed in his custom Chelsea jersey, believing he had impressed the club. Unfortunately, Chelsea FC never contacted him.
Mbappé’s childhood at Real Madrid
After the disappointment in England, Kylian Mbappé’s parents accepted Zinedine Zidane’s invitation to visit Real Madrid.
During his trials there, he finally got the long-awaited chance to meet his biggest idol, Cristiano Ronaldo.
Kylian Mbappé at Monaco
In July 2013, aged 14, Mbappé joined Monaco ‘s youth academy , signing a three-year contract. The club beat off competition from Real Madrid and Zinedine Zidane, who was “very involved” in efforts to sign him.
2015–16
He made his professional debut on 2 December 2015, in a 1–1 draw against Caen . At the age of 16 years and 347 days, he became the youngest player to appear in an official match for Monaco ‘s first team . Mbappé broke a record held by Thierry Henry (17 years and 14 days) that had stood since 1994.
He scored his first goal for the club on 20 February 2016, in a 3–1 win over Troyes . At 17 years and 62 days, he became the youngest player to score for Monaco, breaking another record held by Thierry Henry. On 6 March, Mbappé signed his first professional contract, lasting three years until June 2019.
2016–17
He scored his first career hat-trick on 14 December in a 7–0 win over Rennes in the Coupe de la Ligue . On 11 February 2017, he scored a hat-trick in a 5–0 win over Metz . On 15 March, he scored a goal in a 3–1 win over Manchester City in the round of 16 of the Champions League .
On 12 April, he scored two goals in Monaco’s 3–2 victory over Borussia Dortmund in the quarter-finals of the Champions League. In the 19th minute of the first half, after a quick counterattack, Mbappé, in an offside position, deflected the ball into the back of the net. Then, in the 34th minute of the second half, he took advantage of a poor pass from Łukasz Piszczek , went alone in front of the goal and only beat the opposing goalkeeper.
Kylian Mbappé at Paris Saint Germain
On 31 August 2017, Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) announced the signing of Mbappé from Monaco on loan with a mandatory purchase option of €180 million. According to PSG’s assistant sporting director Luis Ferrer, Mbappé’s change of heart to join the club was partly due to a “convincing” speech made by manager Unai Emery at Mbappé’s home during the summer. The €180 million fee made Mbappé the most expensive teenager of all time and the second most expensive player of all time (behind teammate Neymar ), and broke the record for the largest transfer within a domestic league. He was given the number 29 shirt upon arrival in the French capital.
On 8 September 2017, Mbappé made his PSG debut in a 5–1 Ligue 1 win against Metz, scoring a goal. Four days later, he scored his first European goal for the club in a 5–0 UEFA Champions League group stage defeat against Celtic . He starred in PSG’s 3–0 victory over Bayern Munich in the second Champions League group game, providing assists for Edinson Cavani and Neymar, the latter seeing him beat a defender with a feint by rolling the ball under his foot. On 6 December, Mbappé scored his tenth career Champions League goal in a 3–1 defeat to Bayern Munich, becoming the youngest player to reach that milestone, at 18 years and 11 months. Having already won his first league title with the club, on 8 May 2018, Mbappé featured in PSG’s 2–0 victory over Les Herbiers in the Coupe de France final .
Kylian Mbappé at Real Madrid
On 3 June 2024, La Liga club Real Madrid announced that Mbappé had signed a five-year contract with the club, two days after the club’s triumph against Borussia Dortmund in the 2024 UEFA Champions League Final , concluding a highly anticipated seven-year transfer saga. His move to Real Madrid was the subject of intense speculation and negotiations, reflecting his status as one of football’s most sought-after players. Following the announcement, Mbappé expressed his excitement on social media, stating: “It’s a dream come true. So happy and proud to join the club of my dreams… No one can understand how excited I am right now!”
Kylian Mbappé’s family origins
Kylian Mbappe is a French citizen born in Paris. However, his parents have different roots. Once a refugee, Kylian’s father Wilfred migrated to France from Cameroon . Wilfred’s parents, on the other hand, have Nigerian roots.
Kylian Mbappe’s mother Fayza, on the other hand, is an Algerian of Kabyle origin. French media reports claim that the couple got married in France to obtain permanent French citizenship. Football fans must be happy that Wilfred and Fayza met and got married. Otherwise, the football world would not have witnessed a giant in the form of future GOAT Kylian Mbappe.
Kylian Mbappe Mother
Kylian Mbappé’s mother, Fayza Lamari is a French-Algerian woman born in 1974. She is currently 48 years old. Fayza Lamari is a media personality, sports agent and former handball player.
Kylian Mbappe’s father
Kylian Mbappé’s father, Wilfried Mbappé, is from Cameroon (a country in central Africa). He also has Nigerian roots. He was born on October 11, 1970 and is currently 52 years old. As a refugee, Wilfried Mbappé moved to northern France in search of greener pastures. Wilfried Mbappé now works as a football coach and sports agent.
Kylian Mbappe’s brothers
Kylian Mbappé has two siblings from his parents’ marriage. Mbappé’s two siblings include his adopted brother, Jirés Kembo Ekoko, and his youngest brother, Ethan Mbappé Lottin.
Kylian Mbappe girlfriend
Rumored to be his first girlfriend, Camille Gottlieb is not just an ordinary girl, but a royal. She is the daughter of Jean Raymond Gottlieb, a former palace bodyguard, and Princess Stéphanie of Monaco.
