"I'm not trying to take their place" - Kylian Mbappe claims Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo are 'irreplaceable' in France presser

Kylian Mbappe has played down comparisons with Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo, saying the two football icons are “irreplaceable.” The Frenchman has been in sensational form for Real Madrid, netting 30 times in 43 games across competitions in his debut season.

He looks set to pass Cristiano Ronaldo's debut-season record of 33 goals, a number the legendary Portuguese striker shares with Ruud van Nistelrooy. However, Mbappe has insisted that he is not trying to fill in the shoes of the greats.

When asked about Ronaldo and Lionel Messi during a press conference on international duty with France, he said (via RMC Sport):

"I'm not trying to take their place. They are irreplaceable."

Mbappe has also stayed humble when comparing himself to football greats in recent times. After scoring his 30th goal of the season, the 26-year-old said (via talkSPORT):

“They're legends who have defined an era. It's important, but it's all about numbers. If I score more goals than Ronaldo and Cristiano, it doesn't mean I'm bigger, it just means my first season is going better.

"The important thing is to help and win titles. Scoring goals is important, but even more so if we win La Liga, the Champions League and the Copa del Rey."

Lionel Messi has netted over 850 career goals, while Cristiano Ronaldo sits at the top of the all-time charts with over 920 career goals to his name. The duo have amassed a combined 13 Ballon d'Or awards, with Messi racking up an unprecedented eight of those.

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Denmark coach chooses Cristiano Ronaldo over Lionel Messi

Denmark coach Brian Riemer has weighed in on the eternal debate between Ronaldo and Lionel Messi. Ahead of Denmark's UEFA Nations League quarter-final against Portugal on Thursday, Riemer was not shy about his admiration for the Selecao captain. He told O Jogo (via World Soccer Talk):

“Yes, what a player! I think in the last three or four interviews I’ve done I’ve been asked: ‘Messi or Ronaldo?’ For me, Cristiano Ronaldo every day! I have always admired this man.”

Riemer also accepted that Ronaldo had changed his game in recent years, but stressed the 40-year-old was still a constant danger:

“I think Cristiano is still one of the most dangerous players you can face. I think he’s in great physical condition, he’s not the same as he was before, he’s a different soccer player now.

"But that doesn’t make him worse, he’s different but he’s still a great player, we respect him a lot and we’re looking forward to facing him,"

Denmark will want to take advantage of their home first leg in the Nations League quarter-final against Portugal on March 20. The return fixture is set to take place in Lisbon on March 23.