Real Madrid pay Kylian Mbappe the biggest Karim Benzema related compliment
By Kian Long
Kylian Mbappe is expected to sign for Real Madrid this summer, when his contract with Paris Saint-Germain reaches its conclusion. It is a move which has seemed inevitable for many years and the signing, when announced, could rock the world of sport.
But one subtle nuance which might go over people's heads is - Which shirt number will Kylian Mbappe wear at Real Madrid? Currently, Kylian Mbappe dons the number 7 jersey for PSG but at Real Madrid, this has already been allocated to Vinicius Junior. For France, Mbappe wears number 10, but this is occupied by Luka Modric.
While the number 10 jersey may become free in summer depending on Modric's contract resolution, the answer is staring Kylian Mbappe in the face.
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Real Madrid pay Kylian Mbappe the biggest Karim Benzema related compliment
According to Diario AS, Kylian Mbappe will wear the number 9 jersey when he signs for Real Madrid. It is a vacant jersey number and one which was previously used by his French countryman Karim Benzema, a true Real Madrid legend.
Mbappe aims to have the legacy that Benzema had with Los Blancos but if he even nets half of Benzema's goals, he would still be considered a success. Mbappe will have, in no doubt, spoken with Karim Benzema about life at Real Madrid since he is a striker that knows how to win the hearts of the Bernabeu.
While shirt numbers may seem superficial and surface-level, it is important they are right from the club's marketing perspective. Think back to some of the most iconic players in Real Madrid history, they all had shirt numbers to match their legacy - Cristiano Ronaldo being the famous number 7 and Sergio Ramos being the famous number 4, for example.
Kylian Mbappe 9 has a great ring to it.
Which number would you like to see Kylian Mbappe wear at Real Madrid?