Falcons RB Bijan Robinson plans private meeting with Real Madrid stars in Madrid
The NFL rushing leader will meet Vinícius Júnior and Kylian Mbappé before Sunday’s game against the Cincinnati Bengals.
By Riya Zhao ·
Atlanta Falcons running back Bijan Robinson will meet privately with Real Madrid forwards Vinícius Júnior and Kylian Mbappé before his team plays the Cincinnati Bengals in Madrid on Sunday.
Robinson, who leads the National Football League in rushing yards this season, said the meetings are scheduled to take place sometime before the game. He has known Vinícius for several years and recently spent time with Mbappé at the French national team's headquarters during a promotional event for the NFL.
The two players share a connection through a mutual jeweler, with whom they connected when Brazil played in the United States a few years ago. Both athletes wear the number 7 jersey. Robinson described a recent session with Mbappé where the soccer star put on American football pads and a helmet to play catch and run routes, while Robinson kicked a soccer ball around in return.
Robinson plans to offer advice to Vinícius, who has scored only once for Real Madrid this season. The Brazilian forward netted a goal in an August league victory over Real Sociedad. He is currently serving a four-game suspension in La Liga after pulling an opponent's hair and protesting a red card to the referee.
"I'll tell (Vinícius), just stay the course. Don't worry about external noise, because once that creeps in, then you start to listen to it, and you start to believe what people have to say about you," Robinson said. He recommended that Vinícius stay off social media and trust in his career path. "So when his number is called, it's not a hesitation to do what he does best on the pitch," Robinson added.
Robinson has accumulated 780 rushing yards in the first eight games of the 2026 season. Despite those numbers, he said he does not yet feel he is playing at the level of the league's best running back. He noted that he and his coach constantly aim for a higher standard of play to help the offense win games.
The Falcons enter the Madrid game with a 3-5 record. They were shut out 16-0 by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers last Sunday, a game in which Robinson was held to 76 yards on 19 carries. Robinson stated that the team views the trip to Spain as a business trip with a specific goal: securing a victory to rebound from the loss.
"I know that there's a lot of sights and stuff to see, but we're trying to come here and leave with the win. That's the most important thing," Robinson said. He described the matchup as a playoff-style contest that will define the team's character and cohesion for the remainder of the season.
