NFL receiver Jaxon Smith-Njigba gifts Seahawks jersey to Real Madrid superstar Kylian Mbappe during his Madrid visit

Seattle Seahawks wide receiver Jaxon Smith-Njigba made a surprise appearance in Madrid, where he met with Real Madrid star Kylian Mbappe and gifted him a signed Seahawks jersey. The encounter, which Smith-Njigba shared on his Instagram story, took place before Mbappe's Champions League match on Thursday, where the French forward went on to score a hat-trick. Smith-Njigba didn’t just meet Mbappe as he was also seen alongside club stars Rodrygo, Eder Militao, Vinicius Junior, and several other Los Blancos players.

This meeting between Smith-Njigba and Mbappe represents more than just a casual encounter between athletes. It highlights the growing global appeal of the NFL and the increasing crossover between American football and international soccer. Not only that, Smith-Njigba isn’t the only NFL star who is fond of soccer as J.J Watt, Odell Beckham Jr., and several other NFL players are known to be big fans.

Real Madrid beat Manchester City over two legs in the Champions League and face cross-city rivals Atletico Madrid next in the Round of 16 of the tournament on March 5. Before that, they face Real Sociedad in the Copa del Rey and Real Betis in the La Liga as they continue their bid to win a treble. Los Blancos are in good shape as they sit level on points with league leaders Barcelona, behind only on head-to-head results.