French star Mbappe talks to ESA astronaut Pesquet in space

Gulf Today Report

Determined to support France's Euro 2020 bid even as he was busy in the European Space Agency's football pitch-sized Columbus laboratory aboard the International Space Station, Rouen-born astronaut Thomas Pesquet took time out to link up with Les Bleus' star striker Kylian Mbappe – now officially the first football player to have direct contact with a man in space, according to a UEFA story.

European Space Agency (ESA) astronaut Pesquet, 43, had just 20 minutes to speak to Mbappé as the Space Station orbited over Europe (in the time that it takes for an 11-a-side match to run its course, it has gone once around the world) and the pair compared notes over their responsibilities this summer and the challenges of playing – and watching – football in space. UEFA.com was honoured to sit in.

During the live session, Mbappe said :“I can’t believe my eyes! I have so many questions, I don’t know where to start. First of all, how does it feel to be in space?”

In reply Pesquet answered: “It’s thrilling. A six-month mission had a phenomenal start with the big launch and after that, it’s like going on a roller coaster ride but 10,000 times more powerful. Once you’re in space, all of a sudden it’s so quiet; everything just floats around, everything’s so calm, everything’s easy.

You can lift very heavy loads because obviously you don’t feel the weight anymore. You can fly. So, it’s like a dream. Obviously, it’s like in a footballer’s career: every time you dream of something, you also have to put all the work in. We work a lot to get ready to go to space. We’re just like you. We don’t just lift trophies and appear on TV,” he added.