France national team and Real Madrid striker Kylian Mbappe spoke about the turning point in his career. According to him, joining AS Monaco played a decisive role in shaping him as a professional football player.
“This was one of the most important decisions of my life. At the age of 14–15, I joined Monaco’s academy. At that time, everyone was talking about me, but I didn’t really understand what it meant. I only felt that there was something different about me,” Mbappe told Movistar in an interview.
The young striker emphasized that it was in Monaco where he first began to understand football at a professional level:
“In that team, I felt like a real professional for the first time. Staying there was the best choice for me. The comparisons with Thierry Henry inspired me, but I knew I could only realize my potential through hard work.”
According to Mbappe, that period opened a new chapter in his life:
“The years spent in Monaco were not just about football — they were a school of personal growth. Every day there was a new challenge for me. Thanks to that, I’ve reached the level I am at today.”
He added that as a youngster, his main goal was not results but fulfilling his full potential:
“I always wanted to be better, to make myself stronger every day. Even now, I continue with the same mindset.”
Mbappe concluded by saying that Monaco was the starting point of his football journey:
“Everything started right there. If I hadn’t made the right decision back then, maybe I wouldn’t have reached this level today,” he said.
