A not-so-new nickname used to refer to French professional footballer Kylian Mbappé has been trending on social media on and off since the early days of his career at the PSG (Paris Saint-Germain) Football Club in 2017.

The "Mbappé Turtle" or "Mbappé Donatello" nickname often resurfaces online every time the footballer is in the limelight, as is the case currently.

But how did Kylian Mbappé get the nickname, and what exactly is his connection with the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles' character Donatello?

Let's uncover the story behind the Mpbappé Turtle meme and more in our brief explainer.

What Does 'Mbappé Turtle' and 'Mbappé Donatello' Mean, and Where Did The Nickname Come From?

Kylian Mbappé's historical debut in the French PSG club got lots of media and fan attention back in September 2017.

During his welcome prank on the football team thrown by veteran players, they nicknamed him "Mbappé Donatello" and "Mbappé Turtle" for his facial similarity with the character Donatello from the cartoon Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles.

A viral video from way back on September 8th, 2017, shows his teammates poking fun at him, shouting the character's name.

PSG teammates bantering Kylian Mbappe for looking like Donatello from Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles. 🐸🎤😂 pic.twitter.com/uVYEARaLBt

— Football Tweet ⚽ (@Football__Tweet) September 8, 2017

The nickname also stuck with Mbappé fans (and critics), as in December 2017, in the middle of a Ligue 1 match between Rennes and PSG, three fans entered the field disguised as Ninja Turtles in homage to Mbappé.

Amid the viral moment, X / Twitter user @philousports posted a video of the event, spreading the meme to an even wider audience online.

allez c'est bon fin du game pic.twitter.com/JI7ZhcG38x

— Philou (@philousports) December 16, 2017

How Is 'Mbappé Turtle' Used In Memes?

Leading up to Kylian Mbappé's worldwide fame as one of the best professional footballers of his generation, fans and haters used the nicknames "Mbappé Turtle" and "Mbappé Donatello" in memes and jokes on social media throughout the late 2010s and 2020s.

For example, on June 30th, 2018, a montage of the player with the cartoon character Donatello was posted on X by user @FraanCarboneli7 and, on July 1st, 2018, X user @pyrorivarola posted a similar comparison between the two.

Moving forward to 2024, after the footballer got his nose injured during a EURO 2024 match, news reported that he would have to play with a face mask for the remaining matches of the championship.

The announcement prompted netizens to request that he should try a ninja turtle mask to join the meme, as X user @Jitu172 shared on June 17th, 2024, a montage of what he would look like with the ninja mask.

In the 2022 FIFA World Cup as France shone on the international stage, Mbappe included, the meme saw another resurgence, with the memes popping up yet again in the 2026 World Cup as Mbappe and France excelled again.

What Are Some More Examples Of 'Mbappe Ninja Turtle' Memes?

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For the full history of the Mbappé Donatello meme, be sure to check out Know Your Meme's encyclopedia entry for more information.