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‘Legendary’ Crossover—Bijan Robinson Meets Real Madrid’s Kylian Mbappe in France

The NFL star greeted the Frenchman ahead of Mbappé’s international friendlies with Les Bleus this week.
Sophia Vesely|
Bijan Robinson and Kylian Mbappé met up at Clairefontaine.
Bijan Robinson and Kylian Mbappé met up at Clairefontaine. | Kevin Sabitus/Alex Pantling-UEFA/UEFA/Getty Images

The internet experienced a “legendary” crossover on Monday when Atlanta Falcons running back Bijan Johnson took a detour to visit the France national soccer team.

The NFL star, currently in Europe for the league’s offseason, came just southwest of Paris to Clairefontaine, France’s training grounds for the start of the March international window.

Robinson snapped photos with Real Madrid superstar Kylian Mbappé, exchanged jerseys and even outfitted the soccer player in a helmet and football pads—an interaction NFL France called “legendary.”

Robinson and Mbappé represent the highest level of talent in each of their respective sports.

The 24-year-old running back rushed for a career-high 1,478 yards last season, the fourth-most in the NFL, and led the league with 2,298 yards from scrimmage, earning First Team All-Pro and his second consecutive Pro Bowl nod.

Mbappé, 27, leads Real Madrid in scoring this season with 38 goals despite only just returning from knee injury. The Frenchman is highly decorated, winning the European Golden Boot in his debut season with Los Blancos last year after scoring 31 goals in La Liga.

Internationally, Mbappé led his country to 2018 World Cup glory—crowned the FIFA World Cup Best Young Player in the process—and earned the 2022 World Cup Golden Boot after notching eight goals in the Qatar tournament. The forward was named captain of his country in March 2023 and will look to lead the nation to similar success this summer.

What Does This Crossover Mean?

Robinson and Mbappé’s intersection aligns with the ambitions of both sporting worlds.

The NFL has made aggressive efforts in the past decade to expand league interest internationally, and what better way to compound those efforts than a star running back engaging with the world’s most popular sport and Mbappé, Europe’s darling?

The NFL has scheduled a record-breaking nine international games for the upcoming season to be played across seven countries and four continents. The mission includes sending the Jacksonville Jaguars and Washington Commanders to Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, the Detroit Lions to the Allianz Arena and the Atlanta Falcons to the Bernabéu.

Soccer, conversely, takes quite a backseat to football, basketball and baseball in the U.S.

With the nation set to co-host the 2026 World Cup alongside Canada and Mexico this summer, FIFA is eager to boost U.S. interest and participation in the sport, an effort begun with last year’s revamped Club World Cup on U.S. soil and continued through the organization’s $3 million contribution to the U.S. Soccer Federation’s growth initiative: Innovate to Grow.

What better way to compound those efforts than Robinson—NFL’s darling—making it known that he’s a soccer fan?

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Sophia Vesely
SOPHIA VESELY

Sophia Vesely is a writer, reporter and editor for SI FC, with an emphasis on North American coverage. Her experience comes from regional journalism as a former sports reporter for the Orlando Sentinel, Dallas Morning News and Seattle Times. Vesely graduated from Swarthmore College, where she played collegiate soccer as a wingback. She specializes in MLS, NWSL and NCAA soccer.

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