‘I was away on international duty when Kylian Mbappe started training with the first-team squad. When I returned, my team-mates told me about him. I immediately realised he was different’ Ex Liverpool man on the first time he caught a glimpse of Mbappe

Kylian Mbappe was a thorn in City's side when they lost to Monaco.

Still just 27 years old, it feels as though Real Madrid star Kylian Mbappe has been around for generations.

A good reason for that is that he’s been on the radar of the global game since being a teenager, having made his debut for Monaco aged 16.

A dozen years and 421 senior goals later, it feels as though the Frenchman has comfortably lived up to the early hype – ranked at no.3 in FourFourTwo's list of the best strikers in the world right now.

Fabinho recounts the early days of Kylian Mbappe

Fabinho (left) was there at the start of Mbappe's career (Image credit: Getty Images)

Experienced professionals become accustomed to welcoming young prospects into first-team training, as it’s a common method of bringing through new blood.

But every now and then, a player comes through with an entirely different aura around him.

The Frenchman has now risen to become Real Madrid's main man (Image credit: Getty Images)

Unsurprisingly, former Liverpool midfielder Fabinho, who was there in Mbappe’s early weeks with the senior squad at Monaco, sensed the club had struck a special talent.

“People were already talking about him at the youth academy, saying that he was a star,” the Brazilian tells FourFourTwo.

“I was away on international duty when he started training with the first-team squad – when I returned, my team-mates told me that a very talented young player had been promoted, but I wanted to see for myself.

“When I first saw him, I immediately realised he was different. From the beginning he showed a lot of personality.”

The young Mbappe broke none other than Thierry Henry’s record at Monaco, as their youngest-ever first-team player, but it still wasn’t enough for this electric talent, destined for the stars.

Kylian Mbappé 🙌⚽️⚽️⚽️#UCL pic.twitter.com/NPBeuLJLZkFebruary 25, 2025

“I can also remember when he was getting his first minutes in matches,” Fabinho continued. “He soon complained that he wasn’t getting the playing time he wanted.

“I think to test him, the coach put Kylian in the starting line-up for the next game, against Montpellier. He did very well, stood out a lot, and gained more and more confidence from the coach.

“But it was after the Champions League game at Manchester City [when Mbappe scored in a 5-3 loss] that he really became a starter. From that game on, it was a rise that continues today.”