Real newcomer emotional
©IMAGO
Real Madrid’s new signing Kylian Mbappé spoke in a detailed and eagerly awaited interview on “Canal+”, among other things, about the “enormous” importance for him of his former club Paris Saint-Germain and his emotions surrounding the French national team. However, he did not shed light on all points. “I spent seven years there and enjoyed all seven, but it is a place where it is intense, for better or for worse. But I had seven extraordinary years, no matter what happened in the end,” said the 25-year-old (quoted via “L’Équipe”) about the chapter in Paris.
Mbappé continued: “Maybe the mistake I made last year was that I messed everything up. People weren’t affected, I was cheered from the first day to the last. I had conflicts with people, natural conflicts, because I was defending my rights, as a person, as a player, but that didn’t represent the club. The club, the fans and the players gave me everything from the first to the last day. It’s easier to recognize this when you’re calm. I could have been more expressive to the fans. They don’t know what’s going on, so they say to themselves, ‘Kylian doesn’t give a shit.'”
The French world champion from 2018 and runner-up in 2022 prevailed in the million-dollar dispute over salary payments from his former employer. The French league association ordered PSG to pay 55 million euros to Mbappé, which he had claimed as outstanding salary before his move to Madrid. In its ruling, the league association’s legal commission (LFP) found that PSG had wrongly not paid its ex-striker salary components that were set out in an additional agreement to the employment contract.
Mbappé now emphasized that he continues to watch all the games and wishes PSG only the best. “I want to win the Champions League with Madrid, but I hope that the Parisians win it one day because the fans and the people who suffer every day deserve a little happiness. But not now, I want to win it.” He had always failed with the French capital club, and it was conceivable in the losing final against FC Bayern in 2020.
Mbappé’s difficult start at Real Madrid – mystery about absence from France
He admitted that the start to the season had not been the best for Real or him. “But we are there in all competitions and are preparing for the moments that will count.” Mbappé emphasized: “It’s not what we expected, but at Real they expect you in the second half of the season when they win the title become. That’s where you’ll be judged.” The assessment of his performance was sometimes critical; the free star signing has so far recorded eleven goals and two assists in 21 competitive games.
Recently there were also discussions about Mbappé’s role with the French national team because he was not in coach Didier Deschamps’ squad. The attacker said: “I always said that there is nothing more important, my love hasn’t moved, I miss it because it’s been a long time since I was there.” In September he had a conversation with the coach, who is said to have asked him to arrive at the Royals shortly after his signing.
Mbappé explained: “Mentally I wasn’t in a state where I was 100 percent fit. I have always said that the French national team does not belong to anyone. Coming when you’re not 100 percent fit means you’re making the French team. The coach said he wanted to see new players, that’s it… After that he insisted I come and it’s true that it didn’t go well. But it’s still the French national team, you go there and try to do your best. But at that moment my best wasn’t enough for the international level.”
In October he was not injured and therefore not sufficiently available for action, “it was about recovering.” For the following period, Mbappé posed a mystery, saying nebulously: “I can’t say that in November. It’s a coach’s decision and I stand by what he said. We both talked about it. He said it in the press conference, there were two of us. When it comes out, he knows where it came from. He doesn’t want it to be known and I totally respect that. He’s the boss. If he wants to talk about it one day… In any case, I wanted to go, but I can’t say why.”
National coach Deschamps emphasized in mid-November that Mbappé’s renewed waiver was not a sanction. After the 0-0 draw against Israel, the Équipe Tricolore coach explained the exclusion: “Everyone has the right to go through a difficult time, there is the physical and the psychological aspect.” Deschamps reiterated that Mbappé wanted to come to the national team. “But I think it’s better for him at the moment,” said the 56-year-old. He had previously emphasized that the waiver had nothing to do with the non-sporting headlines. Mbappé is in a complicated situation. “He is going through a phase in his career that is not the happiest,” said Deschamps and assured that he would stand behind the professional.
Emotional Mbappé defends himself against lies
Mbappé scored 48 times in 86 appearances for his country, putting him just nine goals behind record goalscorer Olivier Giroud. Among other things, at the 2021 European Championship, when the team failed against Switzerland in the round of 16 and he missed the last attempt in the penalty shootout, he saw himself unfairly pilloried. “The French national team is the only place where I have forgiven everything.” They lied about him several times. “At the 2021 European Championship they lied about me from the first day to the last day. I was called a monkey and blamed for many failures. I always led the French team to the top, I even gave my nose, I always gave everything. Yes, I’m focused on Real Madrid, but I never gave up on the French national team.” He didn’t even mention Deschamps’ name during the interview.