Kylian Mbappe's "marvellous" performance against Barcelona impressed Zinedine Zidane, who watched on as a football fan.
Zinedine Zidane enjoyed watching Kylian Mbappe and Erling Haaland in Champions League action, though he refused to be drawn over his preference amid links to Real Madrid.
Mbappe lit up the start of the knockout stages of the European competition with a hat-trick for Paris Saint-Germain against Madrid's domestic rivals Barcelona on Tuesday, helping the French club record an outstanding 4-1 triumph at Camp Nou.
Just 24 hours later, Haaland continued his astonishing scoring exploits in the Champions League, becoming the fastest player to reach 10 goals for one club as he struck twice for Borussia Dortmund in a 3-2 victory away to Sevilla in the last 16.
Both young forwards have been rumoured as transfer targets for Madrid, so it was hardly surprising they were a topic of discussion for Zidane during his pre-match media conference ahead of Saturday's LaLiga trip to Real Valladolid.
Asked for his assessment of fellow Frenchman Mbappe, he replied: "I think the performance he put in earlier this week was marvellous.
"I loved seeing what he did because we know each other from France.
"It's very good for football, I watched the game as a fan. I had a very good time watching it. He has a lot of good movement, a lot of good play."
French media has claimed Mbappe has been offered a new long-term deal to remain at PSG. The 22-year-old's current contract runs until 2022, which is the same year Haaland can leave Dortmund for β¬75million (Β£65m), according to a reported agreement with the Bundesliga club.
Madrid head coach Zidane, however, was not interested in revealing which of the duo he ranked higher.
"Like I said, what I like is just watching football. I just like watching good football, good players on the pitch," he said.
"Two tremendous players, for now and the future. That's it. I'm not going to say who I prefer over the other. Everyone has their opinion."
The continued rise of Mbappe and Haaland as superstars has led to suggestions they can step in and become the next great pairing, taking over from the longstanding rivalry between Madrid legend Cristiano Ronaldo and Barcelona captain Lionel Messi.
"They are quality players both of them, just like Messi and Cristiano," Zidane said. "Neymar, all these world class players, they're just like them.
"They're younger, they're demonstrating they are not just players for the future but players for the present."
harun51
0
fotbal my best play
harun51
0
number one couce
wuwbdlopry
0
despite of all his achievement with madrid...Zidane should be sacked.. he just wanna be a champs... he doesn't build or gave opportunity to youngsters for future... blah... blah... he will always prefer frenchman over others which means madrid future is in coming disaster despite of all these current covid crisis... mark my words madrid fans
sehajbains_02
0
I think better haaland first than mbappe... Wing we just need to develop rodrigo and vinicius and haaland playstyle is suitable for replacing benzema... Although haaland also have powerful shot from far...
Halaand any day only to replace the greatest Blancos player
AfzanIzwan
0
Halaand - the perfect choice for Los Blancos, the prolific and competent in essence Only player who can nearly replace Cristano's void
I think better haaland first than mbappe... Wing we just need to develop rodrigo and vinicius and haaland playstyle is suitable for replacing benzema... Although haaland also have powerful shot from far...
YuanMagar
0
π£ "I'm not sure he [Mbappe] will [match Messi's career].β "I do not think for a minute Mbappe can do things with a ball that Messi can do. Messi's one of the greatest players who have ever lived on this earth.β "Mbappe's an excellent young player that will go on to be fantastic, there's a difference. If somebody's going to tell me Mbappe is going to outshine Messi as a football player, I would be staggered if that's the case.β "He'll go on to have a great career and he will be an absolutely top player. Are we writing Messi off!? This is annoying me! He's one of the best the planet has ever seen!" #EK10
mbappe already match half of messi and he just started his career..long way to go fo mbappe
munammeher
3
Still the best in the world π
ronakpatil_rp
1
mbappe career has just started .. Messi is playing for 16years .. mbappe has already won World Cup .. so .. just think how much more he can achieve ..
no one can compare anyone with Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi G.O.A.T.S.
ElCanops
0
comparison seriously πππ
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mbappe career has just started .. Messi is playing for 16years .. mbappe has already won World Cup .. so .. just think how much more he can achieve ..
AnupRaut
3
real madrid must buy both lion.
sehajbains_02
6
Halaand - the perfect choice for Los Blancos, the prolific and competent in essence Only player who can nearly replace Cristano's void
Kingziz
5
Thus that means that Zidane is talking so as to sign the both
RajibMondal
0
next el classico...
Wiblnrtuyz
0
[image]
Wiblnrtuyz
0
Even pique cannot stop Mbappe for coming to Real Madrid!!!! Mbappa will be a big move for Real
[image]
What happened to the latest fruit!? Hazard !?
SkullSwagger
1
Yea unlike Messi who entire goals in UCL this season are penalty.We can be like that.
the thing is Messi actually does a lot more on the pitch even on the day he scores a pen ...but you can't just easily put THAT into statistics. it's easy to say a player scored a pen today but hard to explain just how well he was in the build up of play throughout the 90 mins. that's where ronaldo's penalty - goal performances get advantage ..and that's why match ratings matter - which totally expose Ronaldo's relatively very low ratings compared to Messi's rating (even on the day Messi didn't score )
Fifbro11
2
a very famous user of this app
Anyway, thanks for explaing
SkullSwagger
1
i seriously don't understand, why do Barca fans still moan penalty penalty when even a player like Messi has scored all his UCL goals this season from the spot? I think these people just want attention by commenting this
to make you understand ...a player who scored open play goals like mbappe did has had a much better performance than a player who did almost nothing the entire game except scoring to pens.. especially not being even involved in winning the second pen.
Fifbro11
2
a very famous user of this app
Oh feel sad for her. Canβt believe some people have such a dumb brain that they make fun of others dead parent
RaiyanHasib
0
Oh who is she exactly?? I am not familiar with her name
a very famous user of this app
Lemzy10
3
after their mbappe and haaland will be me and cristiano ronaldo jr amen
Fifbro11
1
people used to harass and tease her, Also used to make fun of her dead mother.
Oh who is she exactly?? I am not familiar with her name
RaiyanHasib
0
What happened??
people used to harass and tease her, Also used to make fun of her dead mother.
Fifbro11
1
yeah right man, It's sad how things ended for her π
What happened??
SaadAkhtarKhan
0
difference is that mbappe's goal didn't consist of a single penalty
i seriously don't understand, why do Barca fans still moan penalty penalty when even a player like Messi has scored all his UCL goals this season from the spot? I think these people just want attention by commenting this
sohambhattacherjee
1
nope sadly real esty wont come back ever
oh that's sad
ronakpatil_rp
2
comparison seriously πππ
Wawdeilosy
1
Barca we stand
Wawdeilosy
0
go and buy heaven and Earth it's not my concern
RaiyanHasib
0
nope aint her, she aint commin back ever coz of scumbags like him
yeah right man, It's sad how things ended for her π
fuuadlmruz
1
BALE
sah_sannidhya
2
hey is that you Estera ? π³π³π³
No , he's a man , with a fake account . Estera never disrespected players Just Joao Fleix was trolled once π .
23185456(deleted)
4
I don't think so. Some random guy made this fake account featuring her username like so many others have done which has prompted her to leave this app. Probably the real @estera uses a visitor account now or with some other name
nope sadly real esty wont come back ever
Irhamnazeer
2
mbappe and haaland will be the future kings but i will say one thing.....mbappe nd haaland will not achieve half of what the REAL GOATS have achieved so far....#GOATSFOREVER
23185456(deleted)
5
hey is that you Estera ? π³π³π³
nope aint her, she aint commin back ever coz of scumbags like him
MSN1087
1
Just relax and see. Bayern Munich will go for Halaand soon. Every best performer in the Bundis Liga will definitely sign for Bayern.
i don't think so, because bayern have lewandowski and haaland give hint he love spain
Saif_T90
3
They should by both of them
jesalam14
4
just get them both. I want dream again
NgeaWilson
2
i miss laliga with this two Goats πͺπͺπ€β€
JAntoineHalaMadrid
1
difference is that mbappe's goal didn't consist of a single penalty
Yea unlike Messi who entire goals in UCL this season are penalty.We can be like that.
BLACOLOGY342
0
Just relax and see. Bayern Munich will go for Halaand soon. Every best performer in the Bundis Liga will definitely sign for Bayern.
Liucklmt
1
π£ "I'm not sure he [Mbappe] will [match Messi's career].β "I do not think for a minute Mbappe can do things with a ball that Messi can do. Messi's one of the greatest players who have ever lived on this earth.β "Mbappe's an excellent young player that will go on to be fantastic, there's a difference. If somebody's going to tell me Mbappe is going to outshine Messi as a football player, I would be staggered if that's the case.β "He'll go on to have a great career and he will be an absolutely top player. Are we writing Messi off!? This is annoying me! He's one of the best the planet has ever seen!" #EK10
Noeciorsu
0
What do you mean you watch the match as a football fan while your team is also in the competition
[image]
lmaoπ
Kapbiknrtu
0
better go for them don't say you watch the game as a fan
RaiyanHasib
1
I don't think so. Some random guy made this fake account featuring her username like so many others have done which has prompted her to leave this app. Probably the real @estera uses a visitor account now or with some other name
yeah right
AdamsMadrid
0
What do you mean you watch the match as a football fan while your team is also in the competition
[image]
hahaha π€£π€£.. help me ask the old man
sohambhattacherjee
4
hey is that you Estera ? π³π³π³
I don't think so. Some random guy made this fake account featuring her username like so many others have done which has prompted her to leave this app. Probably the real @estera uses a visitor account now or with some other name