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It's often challenging to be the younger sibling of a professional footballer - especially when your brother is considered one of the best athletes globally.

The younger Mbappe, who is 18, is the brother of Real Madrid star Kylian, who is almost a decade older. It's a substantial shadow to step out of.

The two brothers played for Paris St-Germain at the same time, but when Kylian opted to leave the Parisian club at the conclusion of his deal and join Real Madrid last summer, Ethan's agreement was also not renewed with the team.

Now at Lille and recently scoring his maiden strike for the club, Ethan is set to come up against PSG on Sunday, and will hope to make the headlines against the team where he began his professional journey.

Walking in Kylian Mbappe's Path

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

But the young player is regarded as an promising prospect in his own capacity.

His mentality was praised as he broke through from the PSG youth system, seeming to handle effectively with the pressure 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 calm and with a strong character. I find that he manages this pressure rather well."

Praised for his football intelligence, composure on the ball and passing ability, Ethan made an impact on the coaches at PSG and was given his league debut at just 16, coming on as a substitute late in a 3-1 win against Metz, with Kylian having netted a brace of the goals.

"Ethan is a quite promising player who can play in multiple roles," Paris St-Germain manager Luis Enrique said after that game. "I am sure he will feature more. He has a prestigious surname, which is challenging 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 new contract at PSG was linked to his choice to depart and move to Real Madrid, and was prepared to instead stay at the Paris club 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 represented for me, his childhood dream, was PSG."

Creating His Distinct Career Path

Ethan's first season at Lille was hampered by injuries, which prevented the opportunity to compete against his brother in a Champions League match last September.

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

Ethan made just a few of first-team appearances last season but now free of injury, he will aim to establish himself as a consistent starter.

He has already achieved a important landmark by netting his initial strike for Lille recently - an stoppage-time volley to ensure a 2-1 win against Toulouse.

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

With Lille participating in the Europa League this season, there will be little chance for Ethan to realise his dream of playing against his brother in a official game at present, but that leaves him with the chance to concentrate on building a reputation for himself in his own right.