Seven years after Real had a €180m bid accepted for the then-Monaco wonderkid, the newly-crowned 15-time Champions League winners have their man. Kylian Mbappe’s dream has been realised, having made history at home with Paris Saint-Germain, and now the France captain will acclimatise to new surroundings and expectations with Los Blancos after Euro 2024 this month.
Madrid move complete, time for France focus before Euros
WEMBLEY, north-west London — THERE were a series of Real fans stationed not too far away, and one had a glint in his eye as he looked at me. Mbappé 9 read the back of his shirt, most around him sporting Bellingham 5 but this decision rocking up to the Champions League Final with a player who hadn’t yet signed felt pointed.
I was sure to remind him: “Not until next week!”
“You know, I do too, we’re gonna be even better. Mbappe, Vinicius Junior and Endrick in the same team.. wow.”
This particular supporter was quick to show he wasn’t fond of Rodrygo – not everyone is – but adding Kylian Mbappe to a team brimming with star players feels more like gaming the system rather than sustainable squad-building. It’ll be interesting to see how they all mesh together early on, a good headache to have.
Truth is, they’ve been building up to this moment for so long that some fans and staff high within the club’s hierarchy didn’t believe it would work this time around.
They wouldn’t allow themselves to feel betrayed again and convinced themselves that they’re better off without him anyway given their recent success.
It’s an understandable stance to take, especially having clinched a record-extending 15th Champions League title this term after edging out the defending champion Manchester City side and two Bundesliga giants in subsequent rounds to do so.
In mid-February, senior club figures at Real were told on good authority that Mbappe would inform PSG of his decision to leave at the end of the existing campaign. This time, unlike 2022, things were different and situational control favoured him.
He was in the final year of a two-year extension, one with an option for him to trigger a third season. Once he didn’t do so last summer, the 2018 World Cup winner essentially put them on notice that he’d be leaving and that didn’t go down well.
“They [PSG] made me understand that I wouldn’t play, they told me violently to my face. Luis Enrique and Luis Campos saved me, I wouldn’t have set foot on the pitch again without them.
Someone who’s happy has more chance of playing well but there are no excuses for some of my performances, it wasn’t as high as my usual standards. Yet just to play, win trophies, was my biggest pride but next season, I won’t be satisfied with a season like that.”
- PSG’s club-record goalscorer Mbappe reflects on an unhappy period before leaving
PSG were no longer in a position of strength regarding their prized asset, aware Mbappe could leave as a free agent twelve months later, so while they keenly reminded everyone about financial incentives and loyalty bonuses ensuring they wouldn’t be losing the 25-year-old for nothing, there’s no substitute for an eyewatering transfer fee – they rejected out of hand on multiple occasions.
Carlo Ancelotti was told he could count on having Mbappe in his squad for the 2024-25 campaign, and likely key players were discreetly kept in the loop too.
Later that month, he was spotted in Barcelona enjoying a few days off and sources told The Athletic that he’d first gone to Spain’s capital to sign his Real contract – having conducted final stages of negotiations in secrecy to protect the superstar.
Since scoring three of their four goals (4-1 agg) with matchwinning performances over two legs against Real Sociedad in the Champions League’s last-16, the 25-year-old scored ten and created three more in his final 14 PSG games (all comps) though was criticised for his fleeting involvement over 180 minutes against a stubborn Dortmund.
Deployed in the number nine role for the first leg, flanked by Ousmane Dembele and Bradley Barcola, he was more effective in the return fixture out on the left-hand side of a 4-3-3 trident but couldn’t inspire a comeback.
PSG’s shortcomings have been clear for all to see over the past half-decade and more, even clearer now they lack the Marco Verratti and Blaise Matuidi-type players who help their creative-minded stars extra licence to flourish without reproach.
Mbappe is joining a much more cohesive unit at club level and as France’s influential captain, will be expected to replicate his World Cup form against European opposition this coming month, having endured a forgettable Euro 2020 campaign.
Picture source: Getty Images
Mo and Sports 