Pele in a handshake with Kylian Mbappe (R)
Brazilian legend Pele joined in the celebrations for Kylian Mbappe’s 23rd birthday by sending a special message to the France striker.
Mbappe posted pictures of a giant cake and celebrations with his Paris St-Germain teammates yesterday.
And Pele tweeted: “I wish you a happy birthday.”
The pair have been good friends since they met at an event in Paris in 2019, and Pele has regularly sent messages of support to the PSG star, including after France’s exit from Euro 2020.
The Paris Saint-Germain forward missed the decisive spot kick that saw Switzerland progress to the quarter-finals after a thrilling 3-3 draw.
Mbappe was the only player not to convert his penalty following an underwhelming performance on the night that also saw him pass up an opportunity to win the game for Les Blues in extra time.
Pele wrote on Twitter: “Keep your head up, Kylian! Tomorrow is the first day of a new journey.”
The Brazilian will surely have advice for Mbappe as the 23-year-old weighs up his future. The Frenchman’s contract expires next summer and he has been strongly linked with a free move to Real Madrid.
Pele recently visited a Sao Paulo hospital as he continued his recovery after undergoing surgery for a colon tumour in the summer.