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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, aged 18, is the brother of Real Madrid star Kylian, who is almost a decade older. This represents a significant shadow to step out of.

The two brothers were at Paris St-Germain simultaneously, but when Kylian opted to leave the Parisian club at the end of his contract and move to Real Madrid last summer, Ethan's contract was also not renewed at the club.

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

Walking in Kylian Mbappe's Path

Scoring grab the headlines, so considering Ethan's position is a midfielder he is not expected to outshine his brother in that department.

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

His mentality was praised as he emerged from the PSG academy, seeming to cope well with the pressure that came with being an Mbappe.

"He is a balanced, polished kid who is courteous even if he is obviously in the shadow of his brother, which is not easy for him. But I find him composed and with a real personality. I find that he manages this pressure quite effectively."

Praised for his soccer IQ, calmness 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 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 play in multiple roles," Paris St-Germain manager Luis Enrique said after that game. "I am sure he will play again. He has a prestigious surname, which is difficult to live up to."

In total, he made five appearances for PSG before leaving at the conclusion of his agreement last summer, although there was certain debate 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 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 affected me the most," Kylian said. "He [Ethan], didn't request anything. His Real Madrid was PSG. What Real represented for me, his youthful aspiration, was PSG."

Forging His Own Career Path

Ethan's first season at Lille was affected by fitness issues, which denied him the opportunity to face his brother in a Champions League match last September.

"My aspiration of playing against my brother in the Champions League is distant, but it has not vanished," Ethan said on social media after he was declared unavailable of that match.

Ethan made just a few of senior appearances last season but now fully fit, he will hope to establish himself as a consistent starter.

He has recently reached a significant milestone by scoring his first goal for Lille earlier this month - 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 first team, 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 playing against his brother in a competitive match at present, but that provides him the opportunity to focus on building a reputation for himself in his own capacity.