Outlook English Club : Mbappe: From a Ronaldo's fan to the Best young player of the 2018 World Cup

Mbappe and teen kids in Bondy

Kyllian Mbappe returned his birthplace Bondy with the World Cup trophy and a reputation as the heir apparent to Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi as the world's best player.

His return to France on Monday also shone a spotlight on Bondy, just over 10 kilometers from the Stade France in Paris, where the French national team plays its home games.

“Cristiano was my idol when I was young and it was great to meet him when I went to [Real’s training ground] Valdebebas. I adored him when I was young but that ended. He’s a great player but we also have them [great players] here.

“I have Neymar here who I believe is very similar and is practically at the same level as Cristiano. I’m learning, too, from Cavani, who is a goal scorer.

“But I’m a competitor and what I want is to win. I don’t care who I have in front of me”, Mbappe said‎.

Young Mbappe and Cristiano Ronaldo a few years ago

Mbappe is donating his World Cup winnings -- reportedly as much as $500,000 -- to Premiers de Cordée, a charity that offers sporting opportunities to children who are hospitalized or have disabilities, which is based at the Stade de France.

"Children have stars in their eyes, when they see Kylian," says Premiers de Cordée spokeswoman Ninon Bardel, adding Mbappe has been working with them for around a year.

"Sometimes they have some difficulties to realize that he is real, it's quite fun. But Kylian has a such ease with them that everything become normal and simple. He says himself that the stars are children.

Kylian Mbappe (bottom right) playing for AS Bondy in 2008 aged nine.

'I can be someone, I can be someone," say the kids playing football in Bondy, Kylian Mbappe's birthplace.

Bondy's town hall, a dreary, gray building, is adorned with a big red banner, which reads: "Thank you Kylian, all of the people of Bondy are with you!"