MBAPPé FIRST AND NOW FOR RONALDO
Big games coming thick and very fast
JAKE O’BRIEN was tasked with keeping Kylian Mbappé quiet a fortnight ago, so he is ready for anything Cristiano Ronaldo throws at him on Tuesday.
The Ireland newcomer’s Lyon side faced Paris St Germain in the French Cup final on May 25 and O’Brien scored with an outstanding bullet header.
But although Mbappé failed to hit the net in his final game for the Ligue 1 champions - ahead of his move to Real Madrid on July 1 - PSG did run out 2-1 winners.
And O’Brien, the giant centreback from Cork, admits the French superstar is the best player he has ever come up against.
“Of course,”beamed the 23-year-old, who made his senior Ireland debut as a half-time substitute in Tuesday’s friendly win over Hungary.
“He’s obviously one of the best players in the world. I think it’s just about the focus for the full game, little sharp movements.
“But I studied a lot of him before the game and the main thing is just to be focused because you take your eye off him for two seconds and he’s in behind.”
Ronaldo might be in the twilight of his career but he is just as dangerous and the 39-year-old remains a key man for Portugal on the eve of the Euro 2024 finals.
Fourth favourites for the trophy, they face Ireland in their final warm-up game in Aveiro with O’Brien in the frame to start as Shane Duffy nurses a calf injury.
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Not that theYoughal man is remotely fazed or starstruck going up against the most high profile players in world football.
Attempting to nab their jerseys after the match isn’t his style, for instance.
“No, I’m not someone who asks for jerseys, especially after losing the Cup final. I’m not the best person to come up to,”he explained.
“It was a great game and PSG (who clinched the domestic double) are a great team and we stayed in the final. On another day, we could have got that win.
“But that’s just the way I am. I’m cool and calm, don’t get fazed by these moments and don’t get overexcited.
Cool
“I like to take things as they come. Big moments like (these games), playing under pressure, is what I like to do.”
That cool and collected approach is precisely why O’Brien insists he wasn’t nervous making his senior Ireland debut at Aviva Stadium on Tuesday.
He was called into the squad for the first time in March, for the games against Belgium and Switzerland, but didn’t feature in either match.
Not that he was too frustrated, mind you. Interim boss John O’Shea had stressed the need for patience in Ireland’s most competitive department on the pitch.
“It’s about being patient and you’ll get your chance,”said O’Brien.“It was very important to stick with it at club level to get my chance in this window.
“I’m sure I’ve taken it. It was a proud moment to make my debut in front of my family and even better to do it in a win.
“But to be honest, no, I wasn’t nervous. I’ve had a rollercoaster season but these are the moments you relish.
“I love being under pressure because it brings out the best in me and it was great to make my debut.
“It was just about adapting to players around me because I wouldn’t have played with many of the squad.
“It’s about finding consistency from playing with them, how they play, and then gelling with them.”
And O’Brien would be delighted to see O’Shea land the job on a permanent basis, and put an end to the six-month saga that is the FAI’s managerial hunt.
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He continued:“You can ask any one of the lads and I don’t think there’s going to be one person who comes out and says they don’t want him to stay.
“He’s been a great coach to be around, to learn from. Not even that but he’s just a great guy to come to, to talk about things.
“I think everyone here wants him to get the job and I think he deserves it. We have a lot of talent in the squad so it’s just about putting it together.”
O’Brien hopes to win his second cap in Aveiro on Tuesday, when Ireland chance their luck against a star-studded Portugal side.
After that, O’Brien will take a well-earned break after an emotional season that saw Lyon bottom of the league at one point, before finishing sixth and securing a Cup final appearance.
O’Brien has gone from Cork City to Crystal Palace and onto loan spells with Swindon Town and Belgian second tier side Molenbeek.
But he feels the slower pace of European club football has best prepared him for international football - and revealed he has no plans to leave Lyon any time soon.
“It probably suited me more to play in Europe. The style of football suits me better. I’m just suited to different cultures and learning different things from top players,”he said.
“I’m very open-minded, so why not try my hand in a different league? It’s one of the top leagues and there are very good teams and players there.
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O’Brien added: It’s just about going out and showing what I can do in these leagues. Hopefully there are many good things to come.”