Ethan Mbappe: Carving His Own Path in Football

Being the younger sibling of a professional footballer can be challenging, especially when your brother is among the best players in the world.

Ethan Mbappe, 18, is the younger brother of Kylian Mbappe, who plays for Real Madrid and is eight years his senior. Living in Kylian's shadow has its difficulties.

Both brothers were previously at Paris Saint-Germain together, but when Kylian left the club at the end of his contract to join Real Madrid last summer, Ethan's contract was not renewed either.

Now at Lille and recently celebrating his first goal for the club, Ethan is set to face PSG on Sunday, aiming to make headlines against the team where he began his career.

Following in Kylian Mbappe's Footsteps

As a midfielder, Ethan may not be expected to score as many goals as his brother, but he is recognized as an exciting talent in his own right.

His mentality has been praised as he progressed through the PSG youth system, showing resilience under the immense pressure of being an Mbappe.

Laurent Glaize, a former head of youth recruitment at Caen who spent three years tracking Kylian, has spoken highly of Ethan. In 2022, he told TNT Sports, "He is a balanced, well-educated young man who remains respectful, even while living in the shadow of his brother, which is no easy task. I find him calm with a strong personality, and he manages this pressure quite well. He understands his position in the game, even if he is often asked for autographs more for his name than his accomplishments, as he is still very young."

Ethan has been commended for his football intelligence, composure on the ball, and passing ability. He impressed PSG coaches and made his league debut at just 16, coming on as a late substitute in a 3-1 victory against Metz, where Kylian scored two goals.

"Ethan is a very interesting player who can play in several positions," remarked PSG head coach Luis Enrique after the match. "I am sure he will play again. He carries a prestigious surname, which is challenging to live up to."

In total, Ethan made five appearances for PSG before his contract expired last summer, and his departure was somewhat controversial. Kylian has suggested that Ethan's lack of a new contract at PSG was related to his own decision to leave for Real Madrid, expressing a willingness to stay at the French club if it would secure a new deal for his brother as well.

"It's the thing that affected me the most," Kylian shared. "Ethan didn’t ask for anything. His dream was PSG, just as mine was. At one point, I even told him, 'If you want me to, I’ll extend my contract, and you can stay; we’ll stay here.' I would have given up my dream of Madrid for him. Ethan told me, 'I don’t want to stay here. What they did to you, what they did to me, it’s not normal.' If he had said, 'Kylian, it’s what I want,' I would have given up my dream of Madrid and stayed for him."

Forging His Own Career Path

Ethan's first season at Lille was marred by injuries, preventing him from facing his brother in a Champions League match last September.

"My dream of facing my brother in the Champions League feels distant, but it hasn’t disappeared," Ethan remarked on social media after being sidelined.

Although he made only a few first-team appearances last season, he is now free from injury and hopes to secure a regular spot in the starting lineup. Earlier this month, he achieved a significant milestone by scoring his first goal for Lille—a dramatic injury-time volley that clinched a 2-1 victory against Toulouse.

This momentary success briefly placed Lille at the top of Ligue 1, though they have since dropped to sixth. Ethan continues to play an active role in the first team, having made two additional league appearances.

With Lille competing in the Europa League this season, Ethan will not have the opportunity to face his brother in a competitive match just yet, but this allows him to focus on establishing his own identity in the sport.

Ethan Mbappe: Carving His Own Path in Football

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