Kylian Mbappé arrived at the 2026 FIFA World Cup carrying familiar weight: the expectations of a nation, the scrutiny of a global stage. But this time, a different name has been trailing his headlines. Spanish actress Ester Expósito, spotted alongside the Real Madrid forward on multiple occasions this year, has become one of the most searched figures of the tournament. With neither confirming anything publicly, the curiosity around her has only grown louder as France progresses deeper into the competition.
Who is Ester Expósito and why is she famous?
Ester Expósito is a 26-year-old actress from Madrid who broke through internationally with Netflix's Spanish-language drama Elite, where she played Carla Rosón Caleruega across the first three seasons from 2018 to 2020. The show became one of Netflix's most successful non-English series globally, and her role turned her from a Spanish television regular into a recognisable face across Europe and Latin America.
She had already won best actress at the Madrid Theatre Awards in 2013 and 2015 before landing that breakout role. Since Elite wrapped, she has worked on projects including Someone Has to Die, Venus, Lost in the Night, and Bandidos. Her acting career has quietly expanded well beyond what most casual observers would expect from someone primarily known through a single streaming hit.
What is Ester Expósito's connection to the fashion world?
Ester Expósito became a Bulgari global brand ambassador in 2021, which signalled the shift from actress to fashion figure. It was not a minor placement. Since then, she has been a consistent presence at major luxury events, wearing Valentino and Schiaparelli on red carpets and attending shows including Louis Vuitton's Cruise 2025 presentation.
That fashion traction feeds directly into her social media reach. She has over 24 million Instagram followers, placing her among the most-followed Spanish actresses anywhere in the world. Her posts generate consistent coverage across entertainment and fashion media, particularly in Spain and across Latin America.
What happened between Ester Expósito and Paris Jackson?
In June 2024, footage from a Desigual fashion show in Spain went viral for reasons that had nothing to do with the clothes. As Expósito extended her hand to greet Paris Jackson, daughter of Michael Jackson, she suddenly turned away to speak with someone else, leaving Jackson visibly confused. The two then sat beside each other in what cameras caught as plainly awkward silence, with Expósito occasionally glancing at Jackson, who gave nothing back.
Whether intentional or an honest mistake, the clip spread widely and became one of those moments the internet revisits any time Expósito's name resurfaces. It added an unpredictable edge to a profile that might otherwise read as entirely polished.
Are Ester Expósito and Kylian Mbappé actually dating?
Nothing has been confirmed. But the sightings have been consistent enough to keep the speculation alive. The trail begins in March, when the two were photographed spending a weekend together in Paris, then returning to Madrid on Mbappé's private jet. Later that month, they were seen sharing coffee in his car, and Expósito turned up in the VIP section at the Santiago Bernabéu during a Real Madrid match.
April brought a dinner together in Paris and a reported bowling outing. Then in Ibiza, the two were photographed sharing a kiss on a yacht. When a reporter asked Expósito about it directly at a Rosalía concert, she laughed without answering, saying only that her life in general was "super" at the time.
She had spoken candidly in a 2023 interview with El País about the isolation that came with her Elite fame. "After the show, my insecurities began. It's not easy to come down from success," she said. "No one around you experiences what you do and it creates a distance, a chasm that separates you from everyone else. Fame isolates you, makes you feel alone." Whether things have shifted on that front is unclear. But her public profile right now has never been higher.
