Chris Gayle and Mbappe at Monaco Grand Prix: ‘A superstar meeting a superstar’
Published:Saturday | June 1, 2024 | 12:06 AMYasmine Peru/Senior Gleaner Writer
A photo of two sporting legends, Chris Gayle and Kylian Mbappe, at the Monaco Grand Prix, has gone viral on X (formerly Twitter) for all the right reasons.
The superstar batsman, who is also a recording artiste known as the Universe Boss, made Monaco, the richest country in the world, his playground this week, showing up in the principality to enjoy a sport he loves - motor racing. Mbappe, French football’s Golden Boy, was also at the Formula 1 Grand Prix, and they framed the moment.
“We took the photo on the track before the race,” Gayle told The Gleaner.
“It was just like a superstar meeting a superstar … respect within. He is legendary baller without a doubt,” added Gayle, who, in 2022 at another Formula One Grand Prix in Abu Dhabi, linked up with Usain Bolt and Usher.
Mbappe, the Paris Saint-Germain striker who also captains the France national team, is acknowledged as one of the best players in the world. At 19, he led his team to victory in the FIFA World Cup and, four years later, Mbappe was again the captain when France placed second at the World Cup. In 2022, he became the first player in football history to have scored four career goals in World Cup finals. A move to Real Madrid is imminent for the striker.
Gayle posted the picture to Instagram with the caption, “Greatness within … Legends Never Die … #F1 #Monaco”. It was liked by more than 327 thousand fans, many of whom pointed out that both Gayle and Mbappe are fans of Cristiano Ronaldo.
The picture shows Gayle flanked by Mbappe on the left and American DJ and music producer Diplo on the right. This month, Diplo’s lush 62-acre private estate in Portland, Jamaica was featured in Architectural Digest, which toured his analogue library and home studio.
Already fans are interested in knowing if Mbappe and Diplo will be among Gayle’s celebrity guests when he hosts his annual, lavish birthday party at Pearly Beach in Ocho Rios, St Ann. This year’s edition of 40 Shades Of Gayle 5.0 is themed ‘Retro Soca Pon Di Beach’.
“Yes ... Chris Gayle would love to have them at his party ... Usain Bolt and Asafa Powell are always there. Also, he is looking forward to showing off his USA iTunes #1 Reggae Album plaque at his party ... for headlining the album Tropical House Cruises to Jamaica: The Asian Edition,” marketer, publicist and producer Sean ‘Contractor’ Edwards shared.
Giving an update on the Universe Boss’ musical activities, Edwards stated, “Chris is preparing a single for my next album Tropical House Cruises to Jamaica: The Middle East Edition to be released later this year. The album will also feature Ghana’s Shatta Wale and a collab with Chris Brown and Kali Ranks.”