I hope my children hate football — Kylian Mbappé makes blunt admission

Real Madrid superstar Kylian Mbappé, has once again offered a candid glimpse into his personal views.

The Les Blues stirred surprise by admitting in an exclusive interview that he hopes his future children will not pursue football. 

In a wide-ranging sit-down with French newspaper L’Equipe, when asked whether he could imagine children who loathed football, Mbappé responded with uncharacteristic frankness:

“I hope. (He laughs.) But I think, unfortunately, a ball will never be far away... In any case, I would never advise my child to set foot in the world of football.”

His remark underlines an awareness of the immense pressure and pitfalls that accompany elite sport. 

While the notion may shock those accustomed to seeing him as the ultimate professional, the sentiment aligns with earlier interviews where he warned parents not to force football dreams onto their children. 

Mbappe once said: “Young people should not have to dream about being me. Because the meaning of a dream is to have no limits.” 

At Real Madrid and on the global stage, Mbappé remains one of the most celebrated and scrutinised athletes. 

Earlier this week, he had candidly discussed mental health in elite sport, describing how athletes are reluctant to show vulnerability.

“The complexity of the thing is that people have trouble with it. You must not show it. Someone in his living room would say, 'F*ck, at the price they're paying you, I'd be happy every day!' 

“That's why sometimes it's better to keep it to yourself. If I win the World Cup, you come to me three days later and ask me about it, I can say it. You're practically untouchable there. You lose a match, you say that, they tell you that you're saying that because you were terrible. It doesn't change anything if I was already like that before the match... It's all a question of timing."

The French forward also pulled no punches when asked about the financial side of his career.

 He admitted that wealth had not freed him from worry, but created new burdens. 

“The more money you have, the more problems you have. In the world of football, money is everywhere, and it makes people act differently. Sometimes, it is disgusting,” he told L’Équipe.

Yet for Mbappé, the trappings of fame and fortune appear less enticing than they do to his legion of admirers.