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It's often difficult to be the brother of a professional footballer - especially when your brother happens to be one of the best athletes in the world.

Ethan Mbappe, who is 18, is the brother of Real Madrid superstar Kylian, who is eight years older. This represents a significant legacy to step out of.

The two brothers were at Paris St-Germain at the same time, but when Kylian opted to leave the French giants at the conclusion of his deal and move to Real Madrid last summer, Ethan's agreement was also not renewed at the club.

Now at Lille and recently scoring his first goal for the club, Ethan is scheduled to face PSG on Sunday, and will hope to gain attention against the club where he began his professional journey.

Following in Kylian Mbappe's Path

Goals dominate attention, so given Ethan's position is a midfielder he is unlikely to surpass his brother in that department.

But the youngster is regarded as an exciting talent in his own capacity.

His mentality was praised as he broke through from the PSG academy, appearing to cope well with the weight of expectation that came with being an Mbappe.

"He is a balanced, polished kid who is respectful even if he is clearly in the influence of his brother, which is not easy for him. But I find him composed and with a strong character. I find that he manages this expectation rather well."

Praised for his soccer IQ, calmness on the ball and passing ability, Ethan impressed the coaches at PSG and was given his first league appearance at just 16, entering as a late substitute in a 3-1 win against Metz, with Kylian having scored two of the goals.

"Ethan is a quite promising player who can operate in multiple roles," PSG boss Luis Enrique commented after that game. "I am sure he will feature more. He has a famous last name, which is difficult to match."

In total, he made five appearances for PSG before departing at the conclusion of his agreement last summer, although there was some controversy around his exit.

Kylian has previously implied that Ethan failing to receive a renewed deal at PSG was linked to his decision to leave and join Real Madrid, and was willing to remain at the French giants if it meant his brother received a new deal there also.

"It's the thing that impacted me the most," Kylian said. "He [Ethan], didn't request anything. His dream club was PSG. What Real meant to me, his childhood dream, was PSG."

Creating His Distinct Career Path

Ethan's debut campaign at Lille was affected by fitness issues, which prevented the opportunity to compete against his brother in a European match last September.

"My dream of facing my brother in the Champions League is distant, but it has not disappeared," Ethan said on online platforms after he was ruled out of that match.

Ethan managed just a handful of first-team appearances last season but now fully fit, he will aim to establish himself as a first-team regular.

He has recently reached a important landmark by netting his initial strike for Lille recently - an injury-time volley to secure a 2-1 win against Toulouse.

That late goal briefly put Lille at the summit of Ligue 1 and although they have subsequently fallen to sixth, Ethan continues to be involved in the senior squad, having made two additional league appearances.

With Lille participating in the Europa League this season, there will be no opportunity for Ethan to realise his dream of facing his brother in a competitive match at present, but that leaves him with the chance to focus on building a reputation for himself in his own capacity.