Global superstar Kylian Mbappé (28, Real Madrid) has drawn growing anger from fans after traveling to Italy while injured, and interest is also rising in Mbappé's girlfriend Ester Expósito.
French outlet Le10Sport reported on the 7th (KST) that Mbappé and Ester Expósito (26) no longer avoid public attention and are enjoying public dates.
It added that although neither side has officially declared they are in a relationship, their affectionate appearances together, including a recent trip to Italy, have been repeatedly captured, creating an atmosphere that they are effectively an "official couple."
Mbappé was substituted due to an injury during Real Betis' 2025-2026 La Liga match that ended 1-1 on the 25th of last month. After detailed tests, Mbappé was diagnosed with an injury to the left leg's semitendinosus. The semitendinosus is one of the three muscles that make up the hamstring, the muscle at the back of the thigh.
But controversy erupted when photos were released showing Mbappé traveling to the Italian island of Sardinia with Expósito at a time when he should have been focusing on rehabilitation. Fans have criticized the injured player for visiting an overseas resort while the team is fighting hard.
But Real Madrid coach Álvaro Arbeloa (43) was sparing with his words when asked about Mbappé's overseas trip, saying, "Players' private lives are not something I should interfere with."
Meanwhile, interest in Mbappé's girlfriend is steadily increasing. According to the article, Expósito is a Spanish actress who rose to stardom playing Carla in the Netflix series Elite.
Interestingly, Mbappé's first meeting with Expósito was not a pleasant memory for him. This was revealed when broadcaster Valeria Ross appeared on Spanish RTVE's podcast El Recreo and exposed the pair's passionate relationship.
Ross said, "Their relationship is currently showing an insanely intense passion. Mbappé is blinded by love. Completely blinded. Our Scarlett Johansson, Expósito, has driven him crazy, and he doesn't even realize what's happening to him. He is so deeply in love that he only thinks about her."
Ross said, "When Mbappé met her through an introduction, she said she had no idea who Mbappé was," emphasizing, "She said, 'I'm sorry, I don't know who you are.'" It seemed like a shocking question to a superstar in the soccer world.
However, it appears that Real teammates also "assisted" Mbappé's courtship of Expósito. Journalist Leticia Requejo recently described the atmosphere inside the Real Madrid locker room, saying, "I heard Mbappé was very interested in that actress. He even asked about her in the locker room. He gathered information, and contact began through their social media profiles."
Meanwhile, more than 4 million Real fans signed an online petition calling for Mbappé's release after he traveled with his girlfriend while rehabilitating. Fans expressed disappointment, saying the ace showed irresponsible behavior during an important time for the team.
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