Charles Jackson
It was a busy weekend for Paris Saint-Germain’s Kylian Mbappe after officially communicating last Friday his decision to leave the French champion at the end of his contract which ends this summer. The France international scored the opener in the 3-1 home defeat to Toulouse in Ligue 1 on Sunday, which will be his final appearance as a PSG player at the capital club’s home ground of Parc des Princes.
Mbappe scored after just eight minutes to win 1-0, but a draw five minutes later and two second-half goals meant Luis Enrique’s men suffered a third successive defeat in a run of just three wins in nine games, including five in House. exits without victory. That didn’t stop Mbappe from claiming his fifth UNFP Ligue 1 Player of the Year award at Monday night’s awards ceremony, which also offered him the opportunity to speak publicly about his decision to leave Paris this summer.
“It’s harder than it looks,” said Mbappé. “It’s a chapter in my life that will close. Ligue 1 has been part of my life. I leave with my head held high and having done everything I could. I wouldn’t have succeeded without the clubs where I played, alongside exceptional players. Thank you to everyone at the club, from the head coach, who has always trusted me and with whom I have a fluid relationship, to the medical team, everyone at the club, the sports management and the sporting director, as well as the president. Also His Highness, the Emir, who welcomed me when I was 18 and was always understanding with me.
“I also want to thank all of you for watching the games and the players – I will miss it. This is a turning point in my life story. It’s very exciting. Many people bet on me from an early age and I tried to live up to it. Thank you to my family for always supporting me. It breaks my heart because I have never left my home country before. I felt loved in Ligue 1.”
Just hours before Mbappe took the stage and publicly thanked PSG president Nasser Al-Khelaifi, Le Parisien reported a clash between the Qatari supremo and the club’s departing star surrounding the defeat against Toulouse, which was dismissed by the Ligue 1 champions as “disappointing fake news”. The clash was dismissed as a “no contest”, with the two men “meeting regularly before games” in order to “finalize preparations for the end-of-season match”. PSG clarified that “each meeting was constructive and respectful”, including the game against Toulouse.
A big unknown about what happens next for Mbappé is his ability to play in this summer’s Olympic Games in Paris, which has been his goal for months and is a bone of contention with Real Madrid ahead of his expected signing with the Spanish giants. . Mbappe addressed the upcoming event in the French capital and once again reiterated his desire to play a role for France, as well as captaining Les Bleus at this summer’s UEFA Euro 2024 in Germany, which begins next month.
“It would be a dream to play in the Olympics,” said Mbappe. “This is not a situation that depends on me. The Olympic Games in France will be very important. We must think like ‘adults’ and find the best solution for all parties. I will be happy whatever happens.”
