Kylian Mbappe says 'Real Madrid seems like my home' as PSG star opens up about decision to stay in France
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Updated 06/09/2022 at 11:02 GMT
Kylian Mbappe has opened up about his decision to stay at Paris Saint-Germain for the next three seasons, after turning down a move to Real Madrid at the end of last term. Mbappe signed a new contract that made him the highest-paid footballer in the world, and revealed that an intervention from French president Emmanuel Macron was key to him staying put.
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Kylian Mbappe admits it "seems like Real Madrid is my home” despite turning down a move to the Spanish giants at the end of last season.
Mbappe’s future was a major talking point throughout 2021 and the first part of 2022 with the World Cup 2018 winner widely expected to join Los Blancos.
Instead, the 23-year-old signed a new contract with Paris Saint-Germain to stay until 2025, which also made him the highest-paid footballer in the world.
“You never know what is going to happen,” Mbappe told the New York Times. “I've never been there [Real Madrid] but it seems like it's my home or something like that.”
Discussing his decision to stay at PSG rather than go to Madrid, Mbappe detailed how French president Emmanuel Macron influenced him to stay in France.
Macron told the 23-year-old that he “has time” so could “stay a little longer”.
"I never imagined that I would talk to the president about my future, about the future of my career, so it's crazy, really crazy," Mbappe said.
“He told me: 'I want you to stay. I don't want you to go now. You are very important to the country'. When the president tells you that, that matters.”
Mbappe however denied that influencing PSG's squad-building was on the remit of his new deal.
“That’s not my job and I don’t want to do it because I’m not good at it," Mbappe said.
"I’m good on the pitch, off the pitch - that’s not my role. There are a lot of people who are better than me."
Having become the first player to finish as both top scorer and top assist provider in Ligue 1 history last season, Mbappe is set to take the mantle of Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi as football’s next superstar - but hinted at some sadness at how his life and fame has snowballed.
“There is a new generation. Ronaldo and Messi, they are going to stop. We have to find someone else, someone new," said Mbappe.
“I have no limits. When you’re 15 years old you have ambition. Everybody has ambition. But when it becomes a reality, it’s crazy. To be honest, because I’m a young guy, I’ve never had any limits to my ambition.
“The only thing I regret is becoming a grown man so quickly. This is the life I always wanted. It’s different, but I’m happy and grateful."
This term, Mbappe will seek to help PSG win a maiden Champions League title, and will then likely play a pivotal role for France when they defend their World Cup crown in Qatar later this year.
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