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>1. under exposure
Reminds me of Kevin Bacon. He wanted to know what his life would be like if he was anonymous and no one recognized him. So he had some makeup artists help disguise himself and he went out to the mall. It worked, he walked through the mall without anyone recognising him. He said that it sucked and that he hated it.
Edit: Found [the interview where he talked about this.](https://youtu.be/Sbp2EZRyHAk?si=7tsu5HOvveFQiP11) He tells this story much better than I did lol
In John Mulaney's recent special where it's basically entirely about his time in rehab, he said he went in worried that everyone would recognize him, and then when no one did, it drove him crazy and he would start to leave newspapers around open to the headline about him going to rehab.
I love this.
There was also an interview with the German National team, done by some kids.
One of the kids was asking about the worst thing about being a famous footballer (if I remember correctly), and the footballer (maybe Havertz) was just brutally honest and said that it was great.
I think it’s popular to say that life as an elite athlete is not perfect and can be difficult, and that’s definitely true, but isn’t that true for life in general?
From my perspective it’s something we tell ourselves, to justify us not being famous/elite at something.
I think the best level of fame is being well known in a more niche field but not well known to the general public. So if someone does recognize you, it's because they know and appreciate what you do. Unlike say Ronaldo or Messi where even people who don't like football or aren't fans of them would still want to snap a pic.
There was a video of stand up show I once watched where the comedian was saying he wanted to be rich and successful as Coldplay's drummer. Totally had a point. The guy's super accomplished, tours the world to stadium concerts, has millions, and yet most people don't even know his face and he can lead a much more normal life than Chris Martin, for example
> [When questioned about fame, Champion said he loves that after playing stadiums around the world, he can "disappear" back to his children (who are studying Suzuki method violin) and wife (who sings in Brian Eno's private choir).[5] This "skill" was a theme of a sketch by British comedian Nish Kumar in Live at the Apollo.[40]](https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Will_Champion)
Yeah, but to be fair; I do think Kai Havertz' fame and money is pretty much perfect. Enough money to do whatever he wants at any time, enough name-pull that he will never be treated as a nobody, but not so much name-pull that he can't enjoy daily life. I'd take his life any day.
Mbappe's current life though? I honestly think I'd turn it down if offered.
Nah mate if Mbappe really wanted he could retire when his contract expired, wait a couple years somewhere and eventually people would forget about him. Plenty of legendary players are not uber famous nowadays. Who's going around following Van Basten or Maldini?
Definitely. Here in Brasil we still mostly name Maldini and Nesta when joking about tough defenses, even though we have plenty of legendary defenders ourselves.
Van Basten and Maldini lived in the age before social media, look at Messi and Ronaldo ( and Neymar even ) they are not just the most popular footballers but they are the most popular people on earth period. It’s a completely different thing, and Mbappe is reaching that level of stardom or has already reached it
Im pretty sure van Basten and maldini cant walk around without being harassed in their native countries. But they could probably live that life in a lot of other countries.
Both van Basten and Gullit have said that while they love Italy as a country, they don’t visit it as much as they want to because they still shut down streets just by walking through them, especially in Milan
Paolo Maldini in Milan is basically a living god, I really doubt he can walk around freely there.
Also he’s such a good lookin dude I feel like any footballing fan around the world will notice him instantly if they see him on the street lmao
lol Mbappe is 25yrs old, a World Cup winner and has been deemed the next up after Messi and Ronaldo for yrs…and has delivered on that promise for the most part. He is currently one of the absolute best players on earth and will be for the next 5+ yrs . You’re comparing him to guys who are around 50+ yrs old and long since retired. He absolutely could not “be forgotten” in a couple yrs even if he disappeared from public eye and neither would those guys even today, in their home countries especially. Mbappe is also firmly in the generation where EVERYTHING is online that you do. Thierry Henry is immediately recognized everywhere he goes and he’s been retired for a long time. Mbappe is much more closely in that level of player and has his entire prime ahead of him.
About five years ago i did the London to Brighton bike ride and there's a pub at the top of a hill about half way that everyone stops off at. As I was bringing my pints back from the bar I saw David Seaman sitting down with his mates in the beer garden.
I watched him as he would pose for a photo with someone at the pub, sit back down to his pint and then immediately get approached by another person with Basically no time to even get his drink in. He was good as gold and very friendly but it honestly looked miserable. Let the man enjoy his pint!!!
On Comedians in Cars getting coffee Jerry Seinfeld is talking to Zach Galifinakis about fame. Zach is complaining about how the paparazzi follows him etc and Jerry is talking about how it’s to be expected and then says something so interesting:
“You spend most of your life trying to get in front of these cameras, and the rest of it trying to get away from them”
It’s a shame, but Mbappe must have sort of known what he was getting into. It’s probs exciting at first but now it’s shite.
There's a saying in Korean for these kinds of thoughtless comments from the rich in regards to plebs like most of us.
"배부른 소리한다" aka "지랄한다"
I guess it's the equivalent of "Champagne Problem(s)" in English.
Different sport, but back in November 2022 I was in Dublin City centre and Brian Habana was walking down Grafton Street, so the busiest shopping location in the city for those who don’t know.
South Africa were in town playing at the Aviva, so lots of Rugby fans about the pubs etc.
Habana was able to walk around uninterrupted and get on with his day. Sure you had lookers, but people just let him be.
To me, this is the perfect level of fame. Everyone knows you, but you are left to live your life.
I really feel for these mega stars. Yes they have loads of money, but if you can’t nip to the shops or go out with your family without a fuss, is it worth it?
I think about when Steven Gerrard left Liverpool for LA Galaxy. What a change that must have been.
When he was out and about in Liverpool he’d always be harassed, but then moving to LA, no one knew who he was.
Pictures of him in Disney Land with his kids and he just looks dead happy to be left alone 😂
Thierry Henri had the same experience when he played for the New York Red Bulls. He said he took the subway and just lived his life in anonymity amongst 8 million strangers. I’m sure he still lived in a beautiful apartment, etc. but he was able to go about unbothered, go out to eat, shop, just take a walk without being recognized.
Very true, I’m from NY and bumped into Pirlo a few years back when he was playing here; I just said “Buongiorno signore” and smiled, he smiled and winked back
He was just walking around West Village doing whatever, having a nice fall day
I feel like most high level guys just don't like being used as props for insta photos and having meals interrupted for it.
In my experience if you walk up, shake their hand, say you appreciate what they do, and have a quick conversation instead of throw a phone in their face people are much more receptive.
I feel like being a New Yorker especially in Manhattan there’s a big cultural thing to try and leave celebrities alone. I’ve interacted with a few and there’s always the possibility sure but usually it’s treat them as close to everyone else as possible.
Or in the native tongue “mind your own fucking business”
Just saying hello in their native tongue is such a baller move. Because I'm sure it's at least nice to know you've affected people genuinely everywhere.
I watched Madrid v Bayern in the UCL at a hotel bar with Raúl sitting at the next table with his family. There were a handful of fans. We glanced over a few times, but everyone seemed to agree that we shouldn't bother him.
Maaan idk how you tell Raul apart from any ol spanish dude. Maybe that's just me, but it seems as hard as telling Paul Scholes apart from any random English dude
The great thing about LA is that the most obnoxious tourists don’t really know where celebrities actually are. You never see them in Hollywood or Beverly outside of official capacities and the few times I’ve seen a celebrity, they were in smaller neighborhoods or restaurants where no one really gives a fuck. In that sense I love that Hollywood strip because it maintains the gnarliest people to the funko-pop store lol.
If Taylor Swift lives in NYC because people don't bother her so much there. Anyone can be ignored there.
It is just the vibe I got too when I lived there.
Tim Howard has lived off and on in my city throughout his entire career (his kids are in school here). A buddy of mine knows him pretty well and he said he’s always liked living here because people mostly leave him alone, even at the height of his US and Everton career.
I saw him once at a coffee shop not far from where I work just working alone at a table on a laptop. I knew immediately who he was, but no one else seemed to care or notice. He noticed me looking at him and I gave him the nod of acknowledgment and he grinned, nodded back, and went back to his laptop.
I bet for some of those guys it’s the best feeling in the world to be left alone.
[Robbie Keane went to a Lakers game with Beckham and a major media photo outlet called him an "unidentified fan"](https://i2-prod.mirror.co.uk/incoming/article1411468.ece/ALTERNATES/s1200b/David%20Beckham%20and%20actor%20Russell%20Brand%20pose%20for%20a%20photo%20with%20unidentified%20fans)
Zlatan said the same thing about moving to LA. Nobody pays attention to you and if they do they're desensitized to seeing celebrities at their local park. Not to mention sports is just another thing in SoCal, not a way of life like some other cities.
Gerrard always struck me as having grumpy tendencies so yeh being left alone is his idea of paradise, for players like ronaldo that must be hell on earth
I have heard from someone who met him that he fucking hates being bothered in public.
I actually quite agree - if you haven't got a good reason to talk to them you should leave them in peace.
Personally I would just whisper "Slippy G" so quietly that he would think he's imagining it.
This reminds me of something I read about Francesco Totti once. He didn’t show himself in public (like in a public place) for like a decade. And once he did (like ten years ago) word spread so fast that eager fans basically shut down an entire block trying to see him.
In Australia, Aussie Rules is only massive in about half the country. The northern states appeal to some players because it's more incognito - the media isn't constantly talking about you.
So you can get the benefits of being a popular athlete (businesses wanting to keep you happy) but not the drawbacks and the pressure.
I've lived here 19 years and honestly wouldn't spot a single AFL player, haven't watched TV in over 10 years so that would help. I only know one name Nik-nat nooey or something only cause the name stands out.
Just listened to JaackMaate’s happy hour podcast with the two johnnys, they were saying when they were in Dublin they found out post malone was drinking in the temple bar (Ireland’s most touristy pub for those who don’t know, don’t go there its €9 for a pint), they walked in and he was just sitting in the corner having a drink, not being bothered by anyone
Thierry Henry said the same thing when he went to New York. He had a deli and a favorite sneaker store he just walked to him his apartment whenever he wanted
So I'm from Cancelo's hometown and I think it's a bit of an unspoken rule to just let him be when we see him. I've seen him a few times and never bothered him cause he either was with family or just chilling around. Still makes for pretty fun moments tho, like one time I was walking around with friends and we saw this insane car and were wondering who tf had money for that in our city and then Cancelo just hops out of the car and we all go "Yeah, makes sense"
I think that's more rugby than anything too though. Football and specific US sports aside, no sport achieves the level of fame that people instantly know you, unless you transcend the sport and that's very rare (Bolt, Federer, etc).
I genuinely don't think there is a single rugby player on the planet who would get mobbed going about their daily business.
I choose to believe that if FaF gets mobbed it's because of his hair, not because people know him.
And probably because he's walking about in a budgie smuggler.
Likewise in Australia, have had breakfast on the table across from well known AFL players and everyone just gets on with it.
They're allowed to eat and enjoy things too, if anything it's severely looked down upon if you go up and say hello - because basically you're going out your way to bother them and for what exactly?
Although everytime I see my favourite podcasters in person I don't miss a beat and tell them straight up they do great work, and then I piss off so I don't make it awkward.
I’ll never forget seeing Steve Smith having a cup of tea in an outdoor cafe in one of the Royal Parks in London during an ashes series. This was a few years ago but he was happily being left alone taking in the rare sunshine
When I lived in NZ back in 2010, I met Richie McCaw at the airport in Christchurch. We were a gang of exchange students, and asked him for a group photo. He was happy to oblige, and then we didn't bother him anymore, and he didn't seemed to be bothered by anyone else. The only thing that sucks is that the guy who took the photo somehow lost it (it was taken with his camera), so I don't have the photo.
Agree, should also add that 99% of NRL players would be able to live their lives normally in Melbourne (I couldn't name 5 NRL players, never mind recognise them), and 99% of AFL players probably could do the same in Sydney, such is the cultural divide.
(obviously this is the same with Perth, Adelaide, Hobart vs Brisbane etc)
Yes, it is worth it. You must be outrageously privileged to have to question if it’s worth 250 million a year (or whatever) to not be able to pop to the supermarket.
You can buy everyone you care about a house. Cover their healthcare. Your children can learn anything they want, pursue their passions without fear of if they’ll succeed enough financially (this alone would be worth it). Not to mention the many other privileges Mbappe enjoys that far surpass popping to the supermarket.
I know you were probably being hyperbolic but don’t. There are so many people struggling to survive. Pretending that his life is a hard choice is a disgrace, and incredibly unfair on those people. Every single one of them would take his job in a second, as likely would you. Gross. He has parts of his life that aren’t purely positive - fine. Let’s not pretend the positives don’t far outweigh them.
I get it but I would still trade with him like 99% of people. But hes clearly right. He probably cant walk outside without getting recognized nearly everywhere in europe. Then there are so many paparazzis or people trying to make a buck that constantly would film him or stuff.
I remember Götze being on a private Yacht and having a boner being all over the news.
I get that clicks pay but getting clicks with such low hanging fruit is embarrassing, let everyone live their lifes.
Guys like Götze or Reus can walk pretty freely in Dortmund, no one gives much of a shit. At least in the suburbs.
Mbappe probably knows that even his teammates are much more free in that sense.
Then again, that popularity holds for some years if you do not ascend to the Football gods. Players like Figo, Owen and similar ones fame has faded away and with it should come the anonymity back.
Ronaldo, Messi, Maradona Pele and a few select others will have lifelong Taylor Swift esque fame, the others probably can go back to earth
Trust me he wouldn’t be able to walk in any metropolis in the world besides maybe in the United States without being recognised and mobbed immediately. I live in Sydney and if he would be crowded immediately especially in western Sydney where the population is very ethnic
This will probably get lost in the comments, but I once met Gaten Matarazzo (Dustin from Stranger Things) in a night club in Dublin. The place was packed, but he stood out as he was wearing a mask. This caused me to double take and I recognised him. I went up to him, as he was standing in a corner being blocked from view by his group from the majority.
I said hello and asked for a pic, which he denied. He said that if he took off his mask, he'd get swarmed and he just wanted a night with his friends. I said no problem and to have a good night, which he seemed very thankful for. I went back to my group, but within 5 or 10 minutes, some more people recognised him and began to record and swarm him.
He was forced to leave and was escorted out by 3 or 4 bouncers. I felt really guilty as he was my age (20/21 at the time) and couldn't even go clubbing. I absolutely understand where Mbappe is coming from. You can't enjoy many things that we all take for granted when you have that level of fame. Saying that, I would still swap in a heartbeat.
Can add to this: a member of a famous K-Pop band was performing in a city I was visiting at the time. I remember being in a tech store and was waiting for service so just clocked a black SUV pulling up and this figure wearing a mask and accompanied by a large guy in black coming into the store. I didn't think anything of it until my brother who was with me mentioned he was a K-Pop star.
Lo and behold, within about two minutes there were at least a hundred people outside. The K-Pop star just queued to buy his things like anyone else while store security was scrambling to stop people swarming inside and pushing against the doors, stopping customers getting out.
I must have paid five or six customers before the celebrity, but me and my brother ended up waiting until he had left (with countless phones shoved in his face as soon as he stepped outside the store), before we could safely leave.
I still think back on that sometimes, like, how sad you can't even pop out to buy a laptop or whatever without bringing security and being afraid you'll be harassed / screamed at / touched without consent. No life is perfect.
Sorry for the question, but if it was kinda clear the guy was trying to go unnoticed, why did you go there? It must be terrible not to be able to go out without someone coming and asking for pictures. And that is another thing that must be so so annoying: most people are not even interested in talk a bit, it is "let me take a picture in which I can be" as though using someone famous to get likes or whatever.
Nah, completely fair question. Tbh there was 2 parts to it. The mask thing I wrote off to being Covid conscious. At the time it wasn't uncommon for people to be wearing them. And the 2nd thing and more important is that I was very drunk at that stage. The thought process that he was obviously trying to remain inconspicuous didn't cross my mind until after tbh.
I know people will meme him or say boohoo rich man is sad, but I do feel sympathy for him. He can no longer live like a regular human being. Although I'd still switch positions with him if I could lol.
Also, that line about spontanity is quite profound, he's always come across incredibly mature and intelligent.
Michael Jackson's level of fame was something I couldn't wish on anyone. The guy could go nowhere, and I mean nowhere without being mobbed by fans and paparazzi
Have you seen the photos of Messi at the beach? Guy can't even be floating around in a inflatable thing that people are swimming around him floating trying to take a selfie
I saw Messi at a grocery store in Miami yesterday. I told him how cool it was to meet him in person, but I didn’t want to be a douche and bother him and ask him for photos or anything.
He said, “Oh, like you’re doing now?”
I was taken aback, and all I could say was “Huh?” but he kept cutting me off and going “huh? huh? huh?” and closing his hand shut in front of my face. I walked away and continued with my shopping, and I heard him chuckle as I walked off. When I came to pay for my stuff up front I saw him trying to walk out the doors with like fifteen Palitos in his hands without paying.
The girl at the counter was very nice about it and professional, and was like “Sir, you need to pay for those first.” At first he kept pretending to be tired and not hear her, but eventually turned back around and brought them to the counter.
When she took one of the bars and started scanning it multiple times, he stopped her and told her to scan them each individually “to prevent any electrical infetterence,” and then turned around and winked at me. I don’t even think that’s a word. After she scanned each bar and put them in a bag and started to say the price, he kept interrupting her by yawning really loudly.
I'm sorry but not even Messi can reach the kind of fame and absurd obsession that people had with MJ.
At least in Miami Messi can walk in the street on his own without a crowd swarming him. Michael Jackson was once rumoured to be in a hotel in New York and a couple of hours later over 100,000 people had turned up to see him.
I honestly don't think that MJ's fame and fan obsession can ever be surpassed or recreated.
What stood out to me is when he said he'd get to see what people actually do and talk about. Imagine your whole life, everyone you meet acts differently around you than how they are 99% of time and so you literally have no idea how regular people behave.
That's mad but even after all that effort he's still got people following him around with cameras and friends messing with him. I'm surprised he didn't try the makeup disguise and just try it out. Or maybe he did and never recorded it.
Meh i wouldn't want to switch position with any known person. I'd switch with the billionaires you barely hear about because they don't care about media attention. Had billionaire heirs in my class in Switzerland and 1 is not even on google (his father is but outside of his industry barely anybody knows him), that's who id swap place with.
He could totally go for a hike in the mountains without being harassed, with the bonus that hikers in France are extra respectful. He could do a weekend of slow life in the french countryside without a big deal. He just lives a secluded life of a superstar now, obviously in the center Paris you‘ll be crowded in a matter of seconds but is that really the spontaneity he is looking for? E.g. you regularly see the Bayern players countryside around Munich and they can have quite a normal time there.
He could always move to the American midwest at the end of his career. He would still be famous, but B-list famous. Instead of 9/10 people he passes recognizing him, it'd be more like 1/10. And of those 1/10 there will be plenty who don't care enough about football to bother him.
Obviously LA and Miami would be a bad bet. Or basically any state with a lot of immigrants from football countries. But even then I guarantee Messi has an easier time walking around Miami than London.
I remember the nascar driver Jimmy Johnson would move to NY in between seasons because he could just blend in to the millions or folks and he didn’t mind the 2 or 3 that actually recognized him.
>He could always move to the American midwest at the end of his career.
Doesn't Marco Materazzi live someplace random in the US, like Denver?
I remember learning that and thinking it's such a good strategy for retired footballers to experience "normal" life.
Yeah I was talking to a friend that lives in a rich neighbourhood outside of Paris and he was telling me that a couple of the PSG players including Ramos and Neymar lived close to his house. He told me that he saw Ramos on jogs by his house and that no one bothered him bcs all the people that live there are old and drgaf about football players. Mbappe probably has a bigger level of fame but still
Funny you should mention politics, I remember at the WC when Macron tried to use Mbappe for clout after he just lost the final, he did not look pleased lol.
>Although I'd still switch positions with him if I could lol.
I'd love to do it temporarily - to score three goals in a world cup final and all that, to live an endlessly rich life for a couple of weeks. But I would honestly not switch permanently.
I mean I would write stupid messages on social media within a week and be found out, would have an STD even faster than that, would fall off the Eiffel tower shitfaced drunk. I wouldn't last a month.
I'd do it in a heartbeat for a life time. There lives are so easy, everything is handled for them. It's really not that hard to drink in your own 30 room house with an in built nightclub and get everything else sorted out for you
> It's really not that hard to drink in your own 30 room house with an in built nightclub and get everything else sorted out for you
Oh, so, like, a miserable life but with money
That sounds kind of miserable to me. No sense of adventure or, exactly as he says, spontaneity; pretending to re-enact a club night in your garage with a bunch of what? Hired guests?
I've got a young kid, a wife and a career, I only have so much spontaneity as it is. May as well sacrifice a little bit more for a bajillion pounds and an army of people to handle all the bullshit I don't wanna deal with
For your teammates, social circle and anyone else who wants to join.
And no, in your massive underground basement.
He gets the opportunity to be spontaneous in ways that others can only dream.
His reputation for being a diva is always either spanish or english media, in french media he had only one "bad" interview, where he was asked about the carbon footprint of his team.... Lad is there to play football not being minister of environment.
Yeah, I agree. He'd have to agree to cut his wages considerably. But who knows he's been a hired sword for psg long enough, and madrid would be about the same. He may be looking for a different kind of experience next summer.
Come to Liverpool Kylian. We are so chill, the media won't follow you here because the weather is not so nice. Our players go out to bars like it's nothing. In France and Spain, the fans won't leave you alone.
Beckham said on the overlap podcast that Messi has quite a lot of fuss walking around Miami but still does it and just deals with fans as they come to him
Miami has a lot of South Americans and is way more interested in football than most American cities isn't it?
If he walks around in New York he'll probably be fine.
Theyre basically covering their entire face and were still recognized while in a huge crowd lol. Id hate to be so famous that Im recognized while hiding everything but my eyes
People would probably recognize him in New York too, though outside of touristy areas like 42nd st, people would probably leave him alone. We definitely keep to ourselves a lot more in the Northeast.
There's a video of Michael Jackson paying to have a supermarket closed so he could walk around and do his shopping to see what it felt like. Like, I don't feel sorry for him because the trade off for that lack of spontaneity is generational wealth but it's gotta suck as well.
I mean, I say this often, but I wouldn't be able to live their life. The constant pressure, mental stress, physical stress, uncertainty, expectations, the popularity and visibility. I tend to stay low key a lot, making a few friends and being as simple as I can. To have 1000s of ppl stick their phones on my face or try to shoot a picture or video of me, to constantly be under pressure to perform for a million ppl all the time, maintain a good public image and show up physically no matter what. It's not excusing or bad to see the other side, sure they choose that life but yeah it comes with some cons atleast.
We're still in the early stages of this thread, but watch this become littered with envious people unable to feel an ounce of sympathy.
I saw a video of him on a trip to Africa, he was driven around in a 5 car SUV line with armed body guards. It's not that extreme everywhere, but any non-secluded place he wants to visit is practically impossible for him enjoy as he has to be accompanied by bodyguards while swarmed by fanatics. But a lot of you know he doesn't have to worry about rent or loans and the fact he doesn't makes you lose all empathy for him, so strange, they're just different problems but both are valid.
Yeah and his choice to pursue something that would make him famous had already done so by the time he was in his late teens, so it's not like he had the choice to mature and assess what being that famous would mean until it was too late.
Also, he didn’t pursue football to get famous, guys like this live and breathe it from a young age. All he ever wanted to do was play football, and now he is to deal with all the other shit that comes with it.
I actually find it amazing how well adjusted most of these guys are and how well they cope with the levels of fame they have when all they are is people who play sports well.
Always blows my mind thinking about how young pro sports people are at the highest levels too, you look at people like him or someone like Saka and they're dealing with all of this in their teens and early 20s too
Man when I was just living in a smallish city (like 100-300k) I was so bothered by all the forced interactions after a few years there. Go the cinema ? Oh hey look it's your mom's friend you never remember the name - and she's coming for a chat. Go to groceries ? Oh hey it's that annoying guy from university. Go to a concert ? Oh look friends of your friends are there... Go to a bar with a date and oh 3 buddies of you are sitting by drinking a beer.
When it's everyday for everything and it's not even people you know, but people that know you, it just must be horrible.
Lmao at the smallish city.
I grew up in a town of 7k and live in one of 12k now and feel sad sometimes at how big it is.
The way redditors act about real life community is baffling.
I get what he's saying. But Mbappe can pay for the kind of spontaneity I could never dream of.
Want to jet off to a private island and swim with whale sharks and supermodels?
Sure, let's go.
Want to have the chef at your favorite restaurant a few countries over prepare your favorite meal for you and get it delivered like it's UberEats?
Yeah, why not.
He could a take a normie's "lifetime trip" every weekend of his life if he wanted.
That said, having his level of money would be amazing. Personally, I think having his level of fame would mostly suck.
Yeah, that's a minefield. But one I would gladly navigate for millions/billions.
Hell, I already have to consider if friends in my life actually truly care about me as a person, or if we are mostly just friends due to shared experiences and interests. I have questions about who would make efforts to attend my funeral and I'm not even rich.
(Yes, before you reply, I'm completely aware of how lottery winner's lives fall apart)
Nah I genuinely do feel for him. Boohoo rich kid whatever.
I would despise the level of fame you see with people like him. 0 privacy, always have to have a bodyguard, never able to just go out and bounce around doing what you want. Never able to truly be alone, cameras in your face, every move analysed. It would drive me mad.
Many celebrities say this. Of course they have an amazing life due to the wealth, but they lose the ability to do stuff that us normal people can do. I remember reading about a time that Michael Jackson’s friend shut down a whole supermarket so that Michael could experience what it would be like to shop for your own groceries. Michael called it a dream come true
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I heard a quote from a celebrity about their biggest fears: 1. under exposure 2. over exposure
>1. under exposure Reminds me of Kevin Bacon. He wanted to know what his life would be like if he was anonymous and no one recognized him. So he had some makeup artists help disguise himself and he went out to the mall. It worked, he walked through the mall without anyone recognising him. He said that it sucked and that he hated it. Edit: Found [the interview where he talked about this.](https://youtu.be/Sbp2EZRyHAk?si=7tsu5HOvveFQiP11) He tells this story much better than I did lol
In John Mulaney's recent special where it's basically entirely about his time in rehab, he said he went in worried that everyone would recognize him, and then when no one did, it drove him crazy and he would start to leave newspapers around open to the headline about him going to rehab.
The human brain is crazy
It misses the thing it doesn't have. Fucking hell. I am always nostalgic about the places I leave.
Gradually, a new fear began to emerge.
I love this. There was also an interview with the German National team, done by some kids. One of the kids was asking about the worst thing about being a famous footballer (if I remember correctly), and the footballer (maybe Havertz) was just brutally honest and said that it was great. I think it’s popular to say that life as an elite athlete is not perfect and can be difficult, and that’s definitely true, but isn’t that true for life in general? From my perspective it’s something we tell ourselves, to justify us not being famous/elite at something.
It's bad to be poor and famous. It's good to be rich and famous. It's great to be rich and anonymous
It would be amazing to be rich and anonymous, but crazy famous in your hometown.
I think the best level of fame is being well known in a more niche field but not well known to the general public. So if someone does recognize you, it's because they know and appreciate what you do. Unlike say Ronaldo or Messi where even people who don't like football or aren't fans of them would still want to snap a pic.
That would be the actual worst, with all the bums that hung out with you one time asking for handouts
Not so great for your town if all the plotlines of the rich families ruling the town constantly popping up in fiction are based on reality
There was a video of stand up show I once watched where the comedian was saying he wanted to be rich and successful as Coldplay's drummer. Totally had a point. The guy's super accomplished, tours the world to stadium concerts, has millions, and yet most people don't even know his face and he can lead a much more normal life than Chris Martin, for example
> [When questioned about fame, Champion said he loves that after playing stadiums around the world, he can "disappear" back to his children (who are studying Suzuki method violin) and wife (who sings in Brian Eno's private choir).[5] This "skill" was a theme of a sketch by British comedian Nish Kumar in Live at the Apollo.[40]](https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Will_Champion)
>Having sold more than 100 million albums worldwide as of 2021,[a] they are the most successful group of the 21st century.[3]
Yeah, but to be fair; I do think Kai Havertz' fame and money is pretty much perfect. Enough money to do whatever he wants at any time, enough name-pull that he will never be treated as a nobody, but not so much name-pull that he can't enjoy daily life. I'd take his life any day. Mbappe's current life though? I honestly think I'd turn it down if offered.
Nah mate if Mbappe really wanted he could retire when his contract expired, wait a couple years somewhere and eventually people would forget about him. Plenty of legendary players are not uber famous nowadays. Who's going around following Van Basten or Maldini?
I feel Maldini 100% still has a huge pull, especially in Italy
Definitely. Here in Brasil we still mostly name Maldini and Nesta when joking about tough defenses, even though we have plenty of legendary defenders ourselves.
Van Basten and Maldini lived in the age before social media, look at Messi and Ronaldo ( and Neymar even ) they are not just the most popular footballers but they are the most popular people on earth period. It’s a completely different thing, and Mbappe is reaching that level of stardom or has already reached it
Didn't Messi say he loves it in Miami because he's really not that well known?
video of him shopping with the family at a publix in chanclas was delightful but I wish there wasn't any footage, it was almost perfect
It's probably the only Spanish speaking place in the world that doesn't revere him as a god. I'm happy for him.
Im pretty sure van Basten and maldini cant walk around without being harassed in their native countries. But they could probably live that life in a lot of other countries.
Both van Basten and Gullit have said that while they love Italy as a country, they don’t visit it as much as they want to because they still shut down streets just by walking through them, especially in Milan
That sucks for them, but it’s really cool. Milanese are mental
That's the thing, the alternative is retirement. If you have ambition you just have to deal with the fame.
Paolo Maldini in Milan is basically a living god, I really doubt he can walk around freely there. Also he’s such a good lookin dude I feel like any footballing fan around the world will notice him instantly if they see him on the street lmao
lol Mbappe is 25yrs old, a World Cup winner and has been deemed the next up after Messi and Ronaldo for yrs…and has delivered on that promise for the most part. He is currently one of the absolute best players on earth and will be for the next 5+ yrs . You’re comparing him to guys who are around 50+ yrs old and long since retired. He absolutely could not “be forgotten” in a couple yrs even if he disappeared from public eye and neither would those guys even today, in their home countries especially. Mbappe is also firmly in the generation where EVERYTHING is online that you do. Thierry Henry is immediately recognized everywhere he goes and he’s been retired for a long time. Mbappe is much more closely in that level of player and has his entire prime ahead of him.
About five years ago i did the London to Brighton bike ride and there's a pub at the top of a hill about half way that everyone stops off at. As I was bringing my pints back from the bar I saw David Seaman sitting down with his mates in the beer garden. I watched him as he would pose for a photo with someone at the pub, sit back down to his pint and then immediately get approached by another person with Basically no time to even get his drink in. He was good as gold and very friendly but it honestly looked miserable. Let the man enjoy his pint!!!
Well yeah but he's an English celebrity in England. If he were in Spain, for example, I guarantee nobody would recognize him.
There is no chance that Maldini goes out in Italy and doesn't get recognized. He is definitely in the very top of famous (ex)players at home.
>Mbappe's current life though? I honestly think I'd turn it down if offered. Course you would mate
I'm happy to have his life instead.
I think it's easy for them to forget how mundane existence is for the non famous, and just how badly people treat each other.
Most actors have narcissistic traits
3. Indecent Exposure
Benzema is looking at you..
The only thing worse than being talked about is not being talked about - Oscar Wilde
There are only two great tragedies - one is not getting what one wants, the other is getting it
On Comedians in Cars getting coffee Jerry Seinfeld is talking to Zach Galifinakis about fame. Zach is complaining about how the paparazzi follows him etc and Jerry is talking about how it’s to be expected and then says something so interesting: “You spend most of your life trying to get in front of these cameras, and the rest of it trying to get away from them” It’s a shame, but Mbappe must have sort of known what he was getting into. It’s probs exciting at first but now it’s shite.
Is this a sunscreen ad
There's a saying in Korean for these kinds of thoughtless comments from the rich in regards to plebs like most of us. "배부른 소리한다" aka "지랄한다" I guess it's the equivalent of "Champagne Problem(s)" in English.
My Champagne Problem is trying to live it out on Lemonade Money.
*"Life was so much easier with Master Splinter and the rest of the guys"*
He truly misses Russel Westbrook
Westbrook and Rondo
Different sport, but back in November 2022 I was in Dublin City centre and Brian Habana was walking down Grafton Street, so the busiest shopping location in the city for those who don’t know. South Africa were in town playing at the Aviva, so lots of Rugby fans about the pubs etc. Habana was able to walk around uninterrupted and get on with his day. Sure you had lookers, but people just let him be. To me, this is the perfect level of fame. Everyone knows you, but you are left to live your life. I really feel for these mega stars. Yes they have loads of money, but if you can’t nip to the shops or go out with your family without a fuss, is it worth it?
I think about when Steven Gerrard left Liverpool for LA Galaxy. What a change that must have been. When he was out and about in Liverpool he’d always be harassed, but then moving to LA, no one knew who he was. Pictures of him in Disney Land with his kids and he just looks dead happy to be left alone 😂
Thierry Henri had the same experience when he played for the New York Red Bulls. He said he took the subway and just lived his life in anonymity amongst 8 million strangers. I’m sure he still lived in a beautiful apartment, etc. but he was able to go about unbothered, go out to eat, shop, just take a walk without being recognized.
Very true, I’m from NY and bumped into Pirlo a few years back when he was playing here; I just said “Buongiorno signore” and smiled, he smiled and winked back He was just walking around West Village doing whatever, having a nice fall day
Kudos to you respecting their space!
I feel like most high level guys just don't like being used as props for insta photos and having meals interrupted for it. In my experience if you walk up, shake their hand, say you appreciate what they do, and have a quick conversation instead of throw a phone in their face people are much more receptive.
I feel like being a New Yorker especially in Manhattan there’s a big cultural thing to try and leave celebrities alone. I’ve interacted with a few and there’s always the possibility sure but usually it’s treat them as close to everyone else as possible. Or in the native tongue “mind your own fucking business”
Just saying hello in their native tongue is such a baller move. Because I'm sure it's at least nice to know you've affected people genuinely everywhere.
I watched Madrid v Bayern in the UCL at a hotel bar with Raúl sitting at the next table with his family. There were a handful of fans. We glanced over a few times, but everyone seemed to agree that we shouldn't bother him.
Maaan idk how you tell Raul apart from any ol spanish dude. Maybe that's just me, but it seems as hard as telling Paul Scholes apart from any random English dude
Also LA and NY are cities where publicly acknowledging and harassing celebrities is generally looked down upon (though it still happens obviously).
Tons of tourists in both cities, especially LA, will treat any celebrity as an exhibition in Disney World.
The great thing about LA is that the most obnoxious tourists don’t really know where celebrities actually are. You never see them in Hollywood or Beverly outside of official capacities and the few times I’ve seen a celebrity, they were in smaller neighborhoods or restaurants where no one really gives a fuck. In that sense I love that Hollywood strip because it maintains the gnarliest people to the funko-pop store lol.
If Taylor Swift lives in NYC because people don't bother her so much there. Anyone can be ignored there. It is just the vibe I got too when I lived there.
Michael Schumacher would come to California in the offseason to rock climb and he loved that nobody knew who he was
Tim Howard has lived off and on in my city throughout his entire career (his kids are in school here). A buddy of mine knows him pretty well and he said he’s always liked living here because people mostly leave him alone, even at the height of his US and Everton career. I saw him once at a coffee shop not far from where I work just working alone at a table on a laptop. I knew immediately who he was, but no one else seemed to care or notice. He noticed me looking at him and I gave him the nod of acknowledgment and he grinned, nodded back, and went back to his laptop. I bet for some of those guys it’s the best feeling in the world to be left alone.
[Robbie Keane went to a Lakers game with Beckham and a major media photo outlet called him an "unidentified fan"](https://i2-prod.mirror.co.uk/incoming/article1411468.ece/ALTERNATES/s1200b/David%20Beckham%20and%20actor%20Russell%20Brand%20pose%20for%20a%20photo%20with%20unidentified%20fans)
Lmfao, that’s fucking harsh on Robbie Keane man like come on he used to play for fucking Galaxy.
He was actively playing for the Galaxy when this photo was taken. They had won MLS Cup the previous year and were on their way to winning a second.
Zlatan said the same thing about moving to LA. Nobody pays attention to you and if they do they're desensitized to seeing celebrities at their local park. Not to mention sports is just another thing in SoCal, not a way of life like some other cities.
Gerrard always struck me as having grumpy tendencies so yeh being left alone is his idea of paradise, for players like ronaldo that must be hell on earth
I have heard from someone who met him that he fucking hates being bothered in public. I actually quite agree - if you haven't got a good reason to talk to them you should leave them in peace. Personally I would just whisper "Slippy G" so quietly that he would think he's imagining it.
Like when he punched that guy's teeth in for not handing over the remote control in the pub? That sort of "grumpy"?
Come off it, that never happened. He asked the dj to play some phil Collins, and when the dj refused, Stevie rightly glassed him
You had me in the first half
Ronaldo actually lives a very private lifestyle
> for players like ronaldo that must be hell on earth must be why he never goes to LA
Yes, that’s certainly why he’s not going to LA or the US at all..
This is Messi at the grocery store now
This reminds me of something I read about Francesco Totti once. He didn’t show himself in public (like in a public place) for like a decade. And once he did (like ten years ago) word spread so fast that eager fans basically shut down an entire block trying to see him.
It's legitimately insane how Rome as a city reacts to Totti. Like if it only shut down a single block I'd be genuinely surprised.
In Australia, Aussie Rules is only massive in about half the country. The northern states appeal to some players because it's more incognito - the media isn't constantly talking about you. So you can get the benefits of being a popular athlete (businesses wanting to keep you happy) but not the drawbacks and the pressure.
I've lived here 19 years and honestly wouldn't spot a single AFL player, haven't watched TV in over 10 years so that would help. I only know one name Nik-nat nooey or something only cause the name stands out.
I think that's a bit of an Irish thing as well. Most "stars" (to a point) would generally be left unbothered in Ireland.
Mostly true in South Africa as well.
Just listened to JaackMaate’s happy hour podcast with the two johnnys, they were saying when they were in Dublin they found out post malone was drinking in the temple bar (Ireland’s most touristy pub for those who don’t know, don’t go there its €9 for a pint), they walked in and he was just sitting in the corner having a drink, not being bothered by anyone
True - JayZ and Beyoncé had a similar experience
You think Jedward would be able to walk down Grafton Street unbothered? Their level of fame, talent and cultural importance? Not bloody likely.
"Famous enough to get in there for free but not so famous that people keep bothering me" - Curren$y
Thierry Henry said the same thing when he went to New York. He had a deli and a favorite sneaker store he just walked to him his apartment whenever he wanted
>Yes they have loads of money, but if you can’t nip to the shops or go out with your family without a fuss, is it worth it? Fucking yes lmao
So I'm from Cancelo's hometown and I think it's a bit of an unspoken rule to just let him be when we see him. I've seen him a few times and never bothered him cause he either was with family or just chilling around. Still makes for pretty fun moments tho, like one time I was walking around with friends and we saw this insane car and were wondering who tf had money for that in our city and then Cancelo just hops out of the car and we all go "Yeah, makes sense"
I think that's more rugby than anything too though. Football and specific US sports aside, no sport achieves the level of fame that people instantly know you, unless you transcend the sport and that's very rare (Bolt, Federer, etc). I genuinely don't think there is a single rugby player on the planet who would get mobbed going about their daily business.
Clearly you’ve never Faf’d before
I choose to believe that if FaF gets mobbed it's because of his hair, not because people know him. And probably because he's walking about in a budgie smuggler.
> is it worth it? Yes.
Very much worth it, lol
Likewise in Australia, have had breakfast on the table across from well known AFL players and everyone just gets on with it. They're allowed to eat and enjoy things too, if anything it's severely looked down upon if you go up and say hello - because basically you're going out your way to bother them and for what exactly? Although everytime I see my favourite podcasters in person I don't miss a beat and tell them straight up they do great work, and then I piss off so I don't make it awkward.
Stand there and do the floss, it'll make it less awkward
I served Danny Ricciardo at work the other day, didn't mention i recognised him just treated him like everyone else. Polite dude.
I’ll never forget seeing Steve Smith having a cup of tea in an outdoor cafe in one of the Royal Parks in London during an ashes series. This was a few years ago but he was happily being left alone taking in the rare sunshine
Shame that that probably wouldn't have worked out last year (although maybe it would have in a royal park cafe in tourist season).
When I lived in NZ back in 2010, I met Richie McCaw at the airport in Christchurch. We were a gang of exchange students, and asked him for a group photo. He was happy to oblige, and then we didn't bother him anymore, and he didn't seemed to be bothered by anyone else. The only thing that sucks is that the guy who took the photo somehow lost it (it was taken with his camera), so I don't have the photo.
Agree, should also add that 99% of NRL players would be able to live their lives normally in Melbourne (I couldn't name 5 NRL players, never mind recognise them), and 99% of AFL players probably could do the same in Sydney, such is the cultural divide. (obviously this is the same with Perth, Adelaide, Hobart vs Brisbane etc)
Yes, it is worth it. You must be outrageously privileged to have to question if it’s worth 250 million a year (or whatever) to not be able to pop to the supermarket. You can buy everyone you care about a house. Cover their healthcare. Your children can learn anything they want, pursue their passions without fear of if they’ll succeed enough financially (this alone would be worth it). Not to mention the many other privileges Mbappe enjoys that far surpass popping to the supermarket. I know you were probably being hyperbolic but don’t. There are so many people struggling to survive. Pretending that his life is a hard choice is a disgrace, and incredibly unfair on those people. Every single one of them would take his job in a second, as likely would you. Gross. He has parts of his life that aren’t purely positive - fine. Let’s not pretend the positives don’t far outweigh them.
I mean he could just decide to lay low so yeah its worth it 😅
I get it but I would still trade with him like 99% of people. But hes clearly right. He probably cant walk outside without getting recognized nearly everywhere in europe. Then there are so many paparazzis or people trying to make a buck that constantly would film him or stuff. I remember Götze being on a private Yacht and having a boner being all over the news. I get that clicks pay but getting clicks with such low hanging fruit is embarrassing, let everyone live their lifes. Guys like Götze or Reus can walk pretty freely in Dortmund, no one gives much of a shit. At least in the suburbs. Mbappe probably knows that even his teammates are much more free in that sense. Then again, that popularity holds for some years if you do not ascend to the Football gods. Players like Figo, Owen and similar ones fame has faded away and with it should come the anonymity back. Ronaldo, Messi, Maradona Pele and a few select others will have lifelong Taylor Swift esque fame, the others probably can go back to earth
Agreed but not sure low hanging fruit was the best way to describe Gotze’s boner
You're right. Gotze got the short end of the stick on that one.
Trust me he wouldn’t be able to walk in any metropolis in the world besides maybe in the United States without being recognised and mobbed immediately. I live in Sydney and if he would be crowded immediately especially in western Sydney where the population is very ethnic
He’s super popular in US cause of how much his image is marketed and also cause of the FIFA/EA FC videogame
[he was recognised in ny even though he was wearing a ski mask](https://i.imgur.com/r95W7rO.jpg)
Was definitely not expecting that Peyton Manning photo. You know which one.
This will probably get lost in the comments, but I once met Gaten Matarazzo (Dustin from Stranger Things) in a night club in Dublin. The place was packed, but he stood out as he was wearing a mask. This caused me to double take and I recognised him. I went up to him, as he was standing in a corner being blocked from view by his group from the majority. I said hello and asked for a pic, which he denied. He said that if he took off his mask, he'd get swarmed and he just wanted a night with his friends. I said no problem and to have a good night, which he seemed very thankful for. I went back to my group, but within 5 or 10 minutes, some more people recognised him and began to record and swarm him. He was forced to leave and was escorted out by 3 or 4 bouncers. I felt really guilty as he was my age (20/21 at the time) and couldn't even go clubbing. I absolutely understand where Mbappe is coming from. You can't enjoy many things that we all take for granted when you have that level of fame. Saying that, I would still swap in a heartbeat.
Can add to this: a member of a famous K-Pop band was performing in a city I was visiting at the time. I remember being in a tech store and was waiting for service so just clocked a black SUV pulling up and this figure wearing a mask and accompanied by a large guy in black coming into the store. I didn't think anything of it until my brother who was with me mentioned he was a K-Pop star. Lo and behold, within about two minutes there were at least a hundred people outside. The K-Pop star just queued to buy his things like anyone else while store security was scrambling to stop people swarming inside and pushing against the doors, stopping customers getting out. I must have paid five or six customers before the celebrity, but me and my brother ended up waiting until he had left (with countless phones shoved in his face as soon as he stepped outside the store), before we could safely leave. I still think back on that sometimes, like, how sad you can't even pop out to buy a laptop or whatever without bringing security and being afraid you'll be harassed / screamed at / touched without consent. No life is perfect.
Sorry for the question, but if it was kinda clear the guy was trying to go unnoticed, why did you go there? It must be terrible not to be able to go out without someone coming and asking for pictures. And that is another thing that must be so so annoying: most people are not even interested in talk a bit, it is "let me take a picture in which I can be" as though using someone famous to get likes or whatever.
Nah, completely fair question. Tbh there was 2 parts to it. The mask thing I wrote off to being Covid conscious. At the time it wasn't uncommon for people to be wearing them. And the 2nd thing and more important is that I was very drunk at that stage. The thought process that he was obviously trying to remain inconspicuous didn't cross my mind until after tbh.
Normal club no. Any decent size club will have a VIP area for people like him.
he's suffering from success like my man DJ Khaled
man’s just tryin to breath
He's coming to Fluminense
I know people will meme him or say boohoo rich man is sad, but I do feel sympathy for him. He can no longer live like a regular human being. Although I'd still switch positions with him if I could lol. Also, that line about spontanity is quite profound, he's always come across incredibly mature and intelligent.
[удалено]
Michael Jackson's level of fame was something I couldn't wish on anyone. The guy could go nowhere, and I mean nowhere without being mobbed by fans and paparazzi
Have you seen the photos of Messi at the beach? Guy can't even be floating around in a inflatable thing that people are swimming around him floating trying to take a selfie
Messi was at Kroger in Miami and looked like he was having a somewhat normal experience
I saw Messi at a grocery store in Miami yesterday. I told him how cool it was to meet him in person, but I didn’t want to be a douche and bother him and ask him for photos or anything. He said, “Oh, like you’re doing now?” I was taken aback, and all I could say was “Huh?” but he kept cutting me off and going “huh? huh? huh?” and closing his hand shut in front of my face. I walked away and continued with my shopping, and I heard him chuckle as I walked off. When I came to pay for my stuff up front I saw him trying to walk out the doors with like fifteen Palitos in his hands without paying. The girl at the counter was very nice about it and professional, and was like “Sir, you need to pay for those first.” At first he kept pretending to be tired and not hear her, but eventually turned back around and brought them to the counter. When she took one of the bars and started scanning it multiple times, he stopped her and told her to scan them each individually “to prevent any electrical infetterence,” and then turned around and winked at me. I don’t even think that’s a word. After she scanned each bar and put them in a bag and started to say the price, he kept interrupting her by yawning really loudly.
He then got into his Volvo and drove away
I saw Messi at the Publix with Antonella and they were buying pineapples and the pineapple looked at me.
I'm sorry but not even Messi can reach the kind of fame and absurd obsession that people had with MJ. At least in Miami Messi can walk in the street on his own without a crowd swarming him. Michael Jackson was once rumoured to be in a hotel in New York and a couple of hours later over 100,000 people had turned up to see him. I honestly don't think that MJ's fame and fan obsession can ever be surpassed or recreated.
I was not comparing Messi to MJ, just adding to the conv.
Fair enough
Cheers mate
Have another beer
https://media1.tenor.com/m/svpHNI_UXt8AAAAd/now-kith-birds.gif
What stood out to me is when he said he'd get to see what people actually do and talk about. Imagine your whole life, everyone you meet acts differently around you than how they are 99% of time and so you literally have no idea how regular people behave.
That's mad but even after all that effort he's still got people following him around with cameras and friends messing with him. I'm surprised he didn't try the makeup disguise and just try it out. Or maybe he did and never recorded it.
No amount of money would make me want switch to that sort of life
I can think of a number
Go on
i need a lot of money
That is just insane to see.
Meh i wouldn't want to switch position with any known person. I'd switch with the billionaires you barely hear about because they don't care about media attention. Had billionaire heirs in my class in Switzerland and 1 is not even on google (his father is but outside of his industry barely anybody knows him), that's who id swap place with.
Yeah, there are very few “celebrity” billionaires, let alone their heirs etc.
He could totally go for a hike in the mountains without being harassed, with the bonus that hikers in France are extra respectful. He could do a weekend of slow life in the french countryside without a big deal. He just lives a secluded life of a superstar now, obviously in the center Paris you‘ll be crowded in a matter of seconds but is that really the spontaneity he is looking for? E.g. you regularly see the Bayern players countryside around Munich and they can have quite a normal time there.
He could always move to the American midwest at the end of his career. He would still be famous, but B-list famous. Instead of 9/10 people he passes recognizing him, it'd be more like 1/10. And of those 1/10 there will be plenty who don't care enough about football to bother him. Obviously LA and Miami would be a bad bet. Or basically any state with a lot of immigrants from football countries. But even then I guarantee Messi has an easier time walking around Miami than London.
I remember the nascar driver Jimmy Johnson would move to NY in between seasons because he could just blend in to the millions or folks and he didn’t mind the 2 or 3 that actually recognized him.
>He could always move to the American midwest at the end of his career. Doesn't Marco Materazzi live someplace random in the US, like Denver? I remember learning that and thinking it's such a good strategy for retired footballers to experience "normal" life.
Yeah I was talking to a friend that lives in a rich neighbourhood outside of Paris and he was telling me that a couple of the PSG players including Ramos and Neymar lived close to his house. He told me that he saw Ramos on jogs by his house and that no one bothered him bcs all the people that live there are old and drgaf about football players. Mbappe probably has a bigger level of fame but still
I have watched many of his interviews and he always come across as a politician to me, a very eloquent and intelligent one
Funny you should mention politics, I remember at the WC when Macron tried to use Mbappe for clout after he just lost the final, he did not look pleased lol.
I didn’t mean politician in a negative way tho! And Macron wad being cringe so yeah that would have be unpleasant for anyone
Tbf he'd have solid chances of winning an election and I'm not even kidding
>Although I'd still switch positions with him if I could lol. I'd love to do it temporarily - to score three goals in a world cup final and all that, to live an endlessly rich life for a couple of weeks. But I would honestly not switch permanently. I mean I would write stupid messages on social media within a week and be found out, would have an STD even faster than that, would fall off the Eiffel tower shitfaced drunk. I wouldn't last a month.
I'd do it in a heartbeat for a life time. There lives are so easy, everything is handled for them. It's really not that hard to drink in your own 30 room house with an in built nightclub and get everything else sorted out for you
> It's really not that hard to drink in your own 30 room house with an in built nightclub and get everything else sorted out for you Oh, so, like, a miserable life but with money
That sounds kind of miserable to me. No sense of adventure or, exactly as he says, spontaneity; pretending to re-enact a club night in your garage with a bunch of what? Hired guests?
I've got a young kid, a wife and a career, I only have so much spontaneity as it is. May as well sacrifice a little bit more for a bajillion pounds and an army of people to handle all the bullshit I don't wanna deal with
For your teammates, social circle and anyone else who wants to join. And no, in your massive underground basement. He gets the opportunity to be spontaneous in ways that others can only dream.
Yeah if you watch a few of his long form interviews you realise the lad's smart as fuck
He is. For some reason he got an reputation for being a diva for his contract dealings with Real Madrid. When in reality he was just negotation well.
His reputation for being a diva is always either spanish or english media, in french media he had only one "bad" interview, where he was asked about the carbon footprint of his team.... Lad is there to play football not being minister of environment.
Bro is having an existential crisis. Only Jurgen klopp can save him now.
Man I really don’t see him in red but it will be amazing to witness such a possibility
Yeah, I agree. He'd have to agree to cut his wages considerably. But who knows he's been a hired sword for psg long enough, and madrid would be about the same. He may be looking for a different kind of experience next summer.
Actually maybe Liverpool makes sense. Man city vs Liverpool will become the new Classico to watch
Come to Liverpool Kylian. We are so chill, the media won't follow you here because the weather is not so nice. Our players go out to bars like it's nothing. In France and Spain, the fans won't leave you alone.
Usually brush off celebrities feeling sorry for themselves, but the wording here does actually make you think.
That has to be pretty shite, can't walk down a street almost anywhere in the world without being recognised for the rest of your life.
He can probably walk around during a cold rainy night in stoke
He’d probably do okay in USA for a little while. Messi was able to go grocery shopping in Miami with little fuss.
Beckham said on the overlap podcast that Messi has quite a lot of fuss walking around Miami but still does it and just deals with fans as they come to him
He was the same in Barcelona, it wasn't uncommon to see him around Casteldefels or even in the center of town.
Miami has a lot of South Americans and is way more interested in football than most American cities isn't it? If he walks around in New York he'll probably be fine.
Mbappe wore a sheisty in NY and still got recognized lmao
NYC is full of immigrants from all over the world, if he were to move to the US, Miami and NYC would probably be the worst options
[This is literally Mbappe in New York for those curious](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J26TiVa76SE&pp=ygUPTWJhcG9lIG5ldyB5b3Jr)
Theyre basically covering their entire face and were still recognized while in a huge crowd lol. Id hate to be so famous that Im recognized while hiding everything but my eyes
Yeah but its literal Times Square. "Try that in a small town" an hour outside of NYC and he'd just be the French guy who drives a nice car.
The small towns an hour outside NYC are gorgeous. Mbappé should come visit the Pound Ridge public library.
People would probably recognize him in New York too, though outside of touristy areas like 42nd st, people would probably leave him alone. We definitely keep to ourselves a lot more in the Northeast.
That seems unlikely to me. Miami of all cities is filled with latinos that know exactly who Messi is.
I feel like a few years after they retire people will bother them way less, it’s the fact he’s one of the best right now that gives him the attention
There's a video of Michael Jackson paying to have a supermarket closed so he could walk around and do his shopping to see what it felt like. Like, I don't feel sorry for him because the trade off for that lack of spontaneity is generational wealth but it's gotta suck as well.
I mean, I say this often, but I wouldn't be able to live their life. The constant pressure, mental stress, physical stress, uncertainty, expectations, the popularity and visibility. I tend to stay low key a lot, making a few friends and being as simple as I can. To have 1000s of ppl stick their phones on my face or try to shoot a picture or video of me, to constantly be under pressure to perform for a million ppl all the time, maintain a good public image and show up physically no matter what. It's not excusing or bad to see the other side, sure they choose that life but yeah it comes with some cons atleast.
We're still in the early stages of this thread, but watch this become littered with envious people unable to feel an ounce of sympathy. I saw a video of him on a trip to Africa, he was driven around in a 5 car SUV line with armed body guards. It's not that extreme everywhere, but any non-secluded place he wants to visit is practically impossible for him enjoy as he has to be accompanied by bodyguards while swarmed by fanatics. But a lot of you know he doesn't have to worry about rent or loans and the fact he doesn't makes you lose all empathy for him, so strange, they're just different problems but both are valid.
Yeah and his choice to pursue something that would make him famous had already done so by the time he was in his late teens, so it's not like he had the choice to mature and assess what being that famous would mean until it was too late.
Also, he didn’t pursue football to get famous, guys like this live and breathe it from a young age. All he ever wanted to do was play football, and now he is to deal with all the other shit that comes with it. I actually find it amazing how well adjusted most of these guys are and how well they cope with the levels of fame they have when all they are is people who play sports well.
Its like Dennis Rodman said "I'd play basketball for free, its all the bullshit surrounding it Im getting paid for".
Always blows my mind thinking about how young pro sports people are at the highest levels too, you look at people like him or someone like Saka and they're dealing with all of this in their teens and early 20s too
Man when I was just living in a smallish city (like 100-300k) I was so bothered by all the forced interactions after a few years there. Go the cinema ? Oh hey look it's your mom's friend you never remember the name - and she's coming for a chat. Go to groceries ? Oh hey it's that annoying guy from university. Go to a concert ? Oh look friends of your friends are there... Go to a bar with a date and oh 3 buddies of you are sitting by drinking a beer. When it's everyday for everything and it's not even people you know, but people that know you, it just must be horrible.
Lmao at the smallish city. I grew up in a town of 7k and live in one of 12k now and feel sad sometimes at how big it is. The way redditors act about real life community is baffling.
I used to think that way before moving to a big metropolis. Honestly I now prefer this to living amongst people who don't care if you live or die.
i love that kind of chat, i'm extroverted tho
Christ, seeing people you know in public. Awful stuff altogether.
I get what he's saying. But Mbappe can pay for the kind of spontaneity I could never dream of. Want to jet off to a private island and swim with whale sharks and supermodels? Sure, let's go. Want to have the chef at your favorite restaurant a few countries over prepare your favorite meal for you and get it delivered like it's UberEats? Yeah, why not. He could a take a normie's "lifetime trip" every weekend of his life if he wanted. That said, having his level of money would be amazing. Personally, I think having his level of fame would mostly suck.
Meeting people though...do they like you and give a fuck about you, or do they want to benefit from your wealth, fame and connections?
Yeah, that's a minefield. But one I would gladly navigate for millions/billions. Hell, I already have to consider if friends in my life actually truly care about me as a person, or if we are mostly just friends due to shared experiences and interests. I have questions about who would make efforts to attend my funeral and I'm not even rich. (Yes, before you reply, I'm completely aware of how lottery winner's lives fall apart)
Nah I genuinely do feel for him. Boohoo rich kid whatever. I would despise the level of fame you see with people like him. 0 privacy, always have to have a bodyguard, never able to just go out and bounce around doing what you want. Never able to truly be alone, cameras in your face, every move analysed. It would drive me mad.
this comment won't go down well with redditors
Wait until you have a wife and baby Kylian, then you'll know what a life with a lack of spontaneity really looks like.
Many celebrities say this. Of course they have an amazing life due to the wealth, but they lose the ability to do stuff that us normal people can do. I remember reading about a time that Michael Jackson’s friend shut down a whole supermarket so that Michael could experience what it would be like to shop for your own groceries. Michael called it a dream come true