Kobe Bryant coordinated his legacy as one of the brightest stars in the sporting galaxy. His unmatched prowess on the hardboard, coupled with his relentless desire to chase greatness, has left an everlasting impact on the minds of NBA aficionados.
Despite excelling on the court as one of the greatest ever, his passion for another leather ball stayed with him throughout his lifetime. Soccer captivated the young mind of Kobe Bryant at an early age and his stardom paved the way for him to link up with some of the icons of the game. One such occasion was in Paris in 2017.
Kobe Bryant once linked up with Kylian Mbappe in PSG practice
In 2017, Kobe visited the Paris Saint-Germain training grounds and met some of the players, including Neymar Jr., Edinson Cavani, and Thiago Silva. Among the seasoned stars was the then-emerging 18-year-old star, Kylian Mbappe. Bryant showed off his educated feet to match Kylian Mbappe’s wavelength, who himself is a Lakers fan. Black Mamba held on his own to prove to the onlookers that both his hands and feet are equally versed to do the talking for him.
Kobe Bryant’s love for soccer
His soccer genes can be traced back to the early days of Kobe Bryant. After his father retired from the NBA, Kobe moved to Rieti in Italy when he was only 6. Alongside taking his basketball lesson, the future 5-time NBA champion took a liking to soccer and made it a part of his daily life. During an interview in 2014 Kobe said, “I am actually [a huge fan]. I grew up in Italy. From the age from six to 14 I played soccer every day. It is actually my favorite sport”.
Despite starting as a goalkeeper because of his lanky frame, his coaches soon switched him to midfield. Only after moving to Philadelphia did he shift towards basketball, and the rest is history.
Kobe Bryant grew up watching the dominant AC Milan side of the 80s. Commenting on it he said “I watched Milan play when I was a kid. They had stars like (Ruud) Gullit, (Frank) Rijkaard, (Marco) Van Basten and (Paolo) Maldini then. Milan has always been my favourite team and it’s always in my heart. I keep a Milan shirt and scarf in my locker room in Los Angeles so I can look at them every day.”
Along with the Milan shirt, Kobe also had a Lionel Messi autographed photo in his locker. He met the Argentine legend in 2007 through Ronaldinho. The duo then went on to endorse Turkish Airlines later in their careers and featured together in multiple commercials that went viral.
His interactions and heartfelt moments with soccer stars will surely be cherished by the fans of both sports, keeping his undying legacy alive.
