“Kyky”, the Real Story about Mbappé’s Nickname

In the football world, nicknames are often born in locker rooms or from the pens of journalists. But for Real Madrid’s global superstar, the origin of his famous moniker is infinitely more intimate and heartwarming. The true creator of the nickname “Kyky” is none other than Christine Mbappé, his paternal grandmother.

It was in the columns of L’Équipe magazine, during an exclusive interview in September 2025, that the passionate grandmother proudly claimed this creation:

Born in Cameroon in 1949 and arriving in France in 1973, Christine lived for a long time in a council flat (HLM) in Bondy before Kylian bought her a detached house. She was the one who looked after little Kylian when his parents, Wilfrid and Fayza, were working long hours. In this “second home,” she would make him fritters and her famous “sugar crepes” (with her secret ingredient, but strictly without Nutella). She still laughs over the player’s childhood memories, particularly when he would ask her for mashed potatoes and “momolettes” (mimolette cheese).

Elaboration: The Guardian Angel of “Kyky’s” Extraordinary Life

While the nickname has now been trademarked at a European level, for Christine, it remains the ultimate link to the little boy who used to sing the national anthem, La Marseillaise, at just two years old. Beyond the humorous origin of the moniker, their relationship reveals a profound emotional anchor that keeps the superstar grounded.

A Heartstopping Matchday Routine

Christine’s devotion to her grandsons—both Kylian and his younger brother Ethan—is absolute, but it comes with a physical toll on matchdays. Her daughter Louise (Kylian’s aunt) admits that whenever “Kyky” plays, Christine gets so anxious she gives everyone palpitations. Christine herself confesses:

Kylian, laughing, notes that these early calls serve as his alarm clock. He teasingly adds, “She calls me morning, noon, and night. She honestly believes every match is going to be the last one of my career.”

The Only Call After World Cup Heartbreak

This deep-seated connection is fully mutual. While Christine celebrates Kylian’s victories by dancing to music and popping a single-serving bottle of champagne, she cannot bear to watch him lose. On defeat days, she switches off the television before the final whistle blows to avoid hearing his name criticized by sports pundits.

Kylian knows this all too well. He revealed that in moments of defeat, his priority is always to call his grandmother immediately to reassure her. Most famously, following France’s heartbreaking penalty-shootout loss to Argentina in the 2022 World Cup final in Qatar, Christine was the single, solitary person Kylian chose to call.

Today, while his father Wilfrid has set up a specialized TV app so she can watch both Kylian’s matches in Madrid and Ethan’s matches in Lille simultaneously, Christine is preparing her bags to go visit Kylian in Spain. To the rest of the planet, he is an unstoppable football machine; to her, he is simply “Kyky,” her beautiful grandson, and forever her greatest pride.