Lionel Messi, Kylian Mbappe, and Neymar of Paris Saint-Germain were viciously attacked by Bundesliga club Augsburg after Bayern Munich eliminated them from the Champions League earlier this week.
PSG was eliminated in the round of 16 by Bayern Munich over the course of two legs, prolonging their wait for their first Champions League victory.
Against the Bavarians, PSG’s feared trio unexpectedly failed to score even once, with Messi and Mbappe in particular being muffled at the Allianz Arena. Due to an ankle injury that would end his season, Neymar was unable to play.
Augsburg played Bayern Munich on Saturday in a top-flight game, and despite losing 5-3, they took solace in the fact that they did score thrice against the league champions – a fete PSG couldn’t.
Ironically, had Christophe Galtier’s side scored three goals over the two ties, the game could have gone to extra time and possibly penalties. Mergim Berisha scored twice on march 11th to add to the strike he got in the first leg against the same opposition in a surprise 1-0 win in September.
Fans reactions
Fans trooped online to respond to the online troll.
@jogabonito said: “Mbappé alone has more trophies than your club. Know your place.”
@ahmdan said: “I’d never thought I’d see the day where Berisha outscores the whole PSG team”
PSG bounced back to beat Brest in Ligue 1 on Saturday evening to cement their lead in France, while Augsburg’s defeat saw them remain in 13th place.
Messi achieves new milestone Sports Brief had earlier reported that Messi reached 300 club assists as Paris Saint-Germain wiped their midweek wounds with a hard-fought victory over Brest.
The genius number 10 added further gloss to his greatest of all-time claim when he set up Kylian Mbappe, who made no mistake by rounding the goalkeeper before slotting home from close range.
After their Champions League elimination, four ofKylian Mbappe’s teammates from Paris Saint-Germain are reportedly not “on good terms” with him. After losing 3-0 on aggregate to Bayern Munich, the Parisians were eliminated from the UEFA Champions League in the round of 16 for the second consecutive year.
It was the fifth time in the previous 12 seasons that PSG had been eliminated in the Round of 16. According to Sporkskeeda, Mbappe avoids communication with three teammates, including Marco Verratti, because he is dissatisfied with the team’s performance in Europe.
The Frenchman is furious that Verratti, who was ejected twice and was the reason PSG lost 2-0 in Munich, was to blame for the team’s demise.
The reports further state that there is already a factor of jealousy between Mbappe and the Italian midfielder.
Verratti was reportedly the owner’s favourite before Mbappe’s arrival in 2017. Hence, losing that title hasn’t gone down well with the former Pescara midfielder.
Mbappe also reportedly doesn’t talk with compatriot Presnel Kimpembe and Brazil star Neymar Junior. Mbappe and Kimpembe are not friends, nor are they enemies. They have just never been close, the reports indicate.
For Neymar, he is still annoyed that Mbappe is trying to push him out of the club.
Mbappe regrets not joining Real Madrid
Meanwhile, Mbappe is apparently regretting his decision to extend his deal with Paris Saint-Germain, just a few months after signing a three-year contraction extension with the Ligue 1 champions.
The 24-year-old forward made a U-turn on joining Real Madrid last summer despite having a verbal agreement to join the Spanish giants before the start of the 2022/23 season.
According to Madrid Universal, Mbappe’s entourage called Real Madrid at the end of the last summer, admitting the forward regrets his decision to extend his contract with PSG.
‘Mbappe should join Real Madrid’ In related news, former Liverpool defender, Jamie Carragher believes Mbappe should leave PSG urgently for the sake of his career, Football Espana reported.
Mbappe discusses his club future
Sports Brief also reported on Mbappe discussing his club future following PSG’s early elimination from the Champions League. The 24-year-old has been linked with a move away from France despite signing a bumper deal with PSG earlier this season.
Mbappe has now revealed he is solely focused on winning the Ligue 1 title with PSG but did not discuss what the future held.
Arsene Wenger has weighed in on the never-ending debate overLionel Messi vs. Cristiano Ronaldo as the superior football player. The football landscape has been dominated by the Argentine genius and the Portuguese phenomenon for almost two decades, demonstrating their extraterrestrial endurance.
While the pair has provided football fans with mesmerising skills, spectacular goals, and breath-taking moments to savour, it has grown more and more challenging to choose the better of the two given their accomplishments. Nevertheless, the debate has shifted in Leo Messi’s favour as a result of his historic year, in which he finally motivated Argentina to win a third World Cup.
His triumph in Qatar with La Albiceleste has comfortably placed him among the pantheon of greats, per Sky Sports. Conversely, Messi’s longstanding rival Cristiano Ronaldo has endured an indifferent last 12 months. He was kicked out of Manchester United and saw his last dance at the World Cup end at the quarterfinal stage.
Regardless, after swapping Europe for Asia, the 38-year-old appears to have rediscovered his mojo and is firing from all cylinders. He was recently crowned the Player of the Month for February in the Saudi Pro League after notching eight goals and contributing two assists in four matches for Al-Nassr, MARCA reports.
While opinions are sharply divided on who the GOAT is between Messi and Ronaldo, Wenger has a more holistic view of the discussion.
“When they [Ronaldo and Messi] will not be there anymore. We will realize what they have given us, both of them. He added: “I always refuse to make a hierarchy on that because they are two different players. Completely different players, but two exceptional players who have shown the world for 15 years how great football can be.
Sports Brief earlier reported that Paris Saint-Germain superstarKylian Mbappe has appeared to change the tune on who is football’s greatest of all time between Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo. The debate on who is the better player between the two football icons remains divided among fans, pundits, and even footballers. Ronaldo and Messi have dominated the football scene for some time now, with the duo winning an incredible 12 Ballon d’Or awards between them.
The playmaker from Argentina and Paris St. Germain won the coveted award for a record-extending seventh time. He defeated Kylian Mbappe and Karim Benzema in the final.
The award, which recognises the top male performer, was chosen by national team coaches, captains, eminent journalists, and fans from all over the world. FIFA reports that Messi received 52 points, Mbappe came in second with 44 points, and Karim Benzema of France and Real Madrid received 34 points.
Considering the long-standing sporting rivalry between Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi, the Iberian country was least expected to throw their weight behind the Argentine genius. How did Portugal vote? Sports Brief takes a look at how Portugal voted, especially with Cristiano Ronaldo failing to make the final shortlist.
Martínez, stepped down from his role as Belgium manager after their World Cup group stage exit, but received appointment as Portugal’s new boss after the Mundial. Hence the onus fell on him to vote for the Best Men’s footballer for 2022 at the gala held in Paris, France.
The 49-year-old interestingly threw away the rivalry between Ronaldo, perhaps Portugal’s greatest footballer in history and Leo Messi away to vote for the PSG playmaker.
Pepe – Portugal captain Kepler Laveran de Lima Ferreira, simply known as Pepe, was the players’ delegate to choose for Portugal.
Acting as Ronaldo’s deputy, Pepe naturally omitted Leo Messi from his preferred choice of winners. Instead, selecting Messi’s clubmate Kylian Mbappe, former Real Madrid teammate Luka Modric and current Ballon d’Or holder Karim Benzema in that order.
Pepe, aged 40, is regarded as one of the greatest defenders of his generation and is still performing at FC Porto.
The best football players in the world gathered under one roof as the world’s governing body of the sport honoured and praised their extraordinary efforts over the previous twelve months.
World Cup champion Lionel Messi of Argentina won the award for best male player of the year for the seventh time, defeating Ballon d’Or winner Karim Benzema and PSG teammate Kylian Mbappe.
Messi is joined by Champions League winner Luka Modric, former Bundesliga leading scorer Erling Haaland, and Africa’s Best Player Sadio Mane on the list of the top ten footballers in the world for 2022.
Along with Achraf Hakimi, who assisted Morocco in reaching the World Cup semifinals for the first time, Julian Alvarez, who also helped Argentina win the World Cup and Copa America, also made the top 10 list.
Brazil’s famous player Neymar and Kevin De Bruyne who is considered one of the best midfielders in the world completed the top 10 footballers in the world list.
Kylian Mbappe previously stated his opinions on the Cristiano Ronaldo vs. Lionel Messi debate for the title of greatest player of all time, but the Paris Saint-Germain star now seems to have changed his mind.
The star of Paris Saint-Germain Kylian Mbappe appears to have made a sharp about-face regarding who he thinks is superior to Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo.
The two forwards have developed a spirited rivalry over the course of their individual careers, which peaked during their time with Real Madrid and Barcelona. After finally winning a World Cup championship medal in Qatar last year, it seemed that Messi had put the discussion to rest.
Messi’s glorious campaign has also seems to have definitively changed the mind of his PSG teammate Mbappe. The Frenchman was previously a huge admirer of Portuguese icon Ronaldo.
The striker’s father admitted that the veteran was among Mbappe’s heroes within the game. Speaking in 2016, he said: “He [Mbappe] is a Real Madrid fan and his idol is Cristiano Ronaldo. He used to spend hours watching videos [of Ronaldo] on the internet.”
That was a claim that was backed up by Mbappe’s former teammate Abdou Diallo. He previously suggested that the striker was under no illusions over who was better.
Speaking in December, the defender said: “Cristiano Ronaldo is literally everything to Kylian Mbappe. If you mention Lionel Messi against Cristiano, Mbappe will debate with you for at least an hour. For him, Cristiano is untouchable.”
Mbappe performed his change of opinion on social media in the aftermathof The Best FIFA Awards. A glitzy ceremony was held in Paris on Monday evening to celebrate the best players in both the men’s and the women’s game in 2022.
Messi was named as the Best Men’s Player of the Year following his outstanding performances as Argentina lifted the World Cup, whilst he has also managed to find electric form. The veteran was also named in the FIFPRO Men’s World XI alongside his club teammate Mbappe.
The latter issued his response to the pair’s evening, whilst sending his congratulations to Messi with a telling message. Taking to Instagram, he wrote: “Another trophy at home. Big congratulations to @leomessi you are #TheBest.”
The second goal in Manchester United’s 2-0 victory overNewcastle United in the EFL Cup final on Sunday has been officially attributed to forward Marcus Rashford.
The goal was credited as an own goal by Sven Botman at the time. It was scored six minutes after Casemiro had opened the scoring at Wembley.
Rashford’s shot was deflected by Newcastle’s Botman and looped over Loris Karius.
Rashford was the actual goal scorer, though, as United and the competition’s organisers both confirmed on Monday.
That means the in-form England international finishes as the 2022-23 EFL Cup’s top scorer with six goals, having found the net in every round United played in.
Rashford’s latest strike helped propel United to their first trophy under Erik ten Hag and their first of any sort since 2017 when they won the Europa League under Jose Mourinho.
Christophe Galtier hailed Kylian Mbappe for his “magnificent” feat of becoming Paris Saint-Germain’s joint-record goalscorer in Sunday’s dominant 3-0 win at Marseille.
Mbappe scored a terrific volley to match Edinson Cavani’s tally of 200 goals for PSG as the Ligue 1 leaders went eight points clear of their old rivals with a crushing win at the Stade Velodrome.
Mbappe and fellow attacking star Lionel Messi had earlier put PSG in command by exchanging assists before the break, and they have now combined for 10 goals in Ligue 1 this term — more than any other duo.
Speaking to Amazon Prime Video after the win, Galtier said: “Mbappe is a player who has a sense of movement, who obviously goes very fast; he is technically fast too.
“He not only has the legs but an exceptional speed of execution. These are players of stats and records; he equalled this magnificent record of Cavani, and it is obvious that he will beat it.
“His presence is important to the team, it gives us other options in the game, especially with our depth and his presence in front of goal.”
200 – Kylian Mbappé has scored 200 goals for Paris in all competitions, matching Edinson Cavani's record. History. #OMPSGpic.twitter.com/Tnee7KVFGm
PSG suffered an early setback when a tearful Presnel Kimpembe was carried off injured, but they hit the front 25 minutes in as Messi found space to send Mbappe through on goal, with the striker applying an unerring finish.
Mbappe repaid the favour four minutes later, combining with Nuno Mendes on the break before teeing Messi up for a tap-in with a pinpoint low cross.
Messi should have had a second when he somehow blazed over from just six yards out, before Marquinhos fired narrowly wide of the bottom-left corner after beating the hosts’ offside trap.
Mbappe nodded Vitinha’s cross narrowly wide of the left-hand post six minutes after the restart, but the France star had his landmark goal four minutes later.
A flowing move ended with Messi scooping a wonderful ball into the path of Mbappe, who lashed a left-footed volley beyond Pau Lopez to effectively end the contest.
Alexis Sanchez and Marseille’s Vitinha went close to pulling one back, but Gianluigi Donnarumma denied both with sharp saves to preserve PSG’s clean sheet.
⌛️ It’s over in Marseille! Our Parisians win #LeClassique and get the 3 points! ❤️💙
As the visitors sprinted to a 2-0 halftime lead, Mbappe and Messi traded assists. Messi’s tap-in gave him 700 goals in senior football for Barcelona and PSG.
The pair saved their best for last, though, as Mbappe scored PSG’s 200th goal on a memorable night for Christophe Galtier’s team by volleying in Messi’s dinked pass to join Edinson Cavani in the feat.
The outcome put PSG eight points ahead of Marseille in the Ligue 1 standings, relieving Galtier of some of the pressure that had been mounting due to their lacklustre start to 2023.
200 – Kylian Mbappé has scored 200 goals for Paris in all competitions, matching Edinson Cavani’s record. History. #OMPSGpic.twitter.com/Tnee7KVFGm
PSG suffered an early setback when a tearful Presnel Kimpembe was carried off injured, but they hit the front 25 minutes in as Messi found space to send Mbappe through on goal, with the striker applying an unerring finish.
Red Devils march on to rd of 16 – Mangers reaction
Mbappe repaid the favour four minutes later, combining with Nuno Mendes on the break before teeing Messi up for a tap-in with a pinpoint low cross.
Messi should have had a second when he somehow blazed over from just six yards out, before Marquinhos fired narrowly wide of the bottom-left corner after beating the hosts’ offside trap.
Mbappe nodded Vitinha’s cross narrowly wide of the left-hand post six minutes after the restart, but the France star had his landmark goal four minutes later.
A flowing move ended with Messi scooping a wonderful ball into the path of Mbappe, who lashed a left-footed volley beyond Pau Lopez to effectively end the contest.
Alexis Sanchez and Marseille’s Vitinha went close to pulling one back, but Gianluigi Donnarumma denied both with sharp saves to preserve PSG’s clean sheet.
Football Insider claims that Kylian Mbappe’s situation is being watched by Manchester United, Liverpool, and Chelsea.
The 24-year-old is allegedly dissatisfied at Paris Saint-Germain, and the Premier League trio is said to be aware that any potential deal will be difficult to execute.
The difficulties the triumvirate faces in trying to sign the forward this summer are highlighted by the French superstar’s contract with PSG, which runs through 2025, and his reported salary of more than £1.2 million per week.
Neymar may not play against Bayern Munich for Paris Saint-Germain in the Champions League due to ankle ligament damage.
On a stretcher, the 31-year-old was removed from the field during PSG’s thrilling 4-3 victory over Lille on Sunday.
Neymar scored PSG’s second goal after setting up Kylian Mbappe for the first, but he injured his right ankle in a collision with Benjamin André early in the second half.
Later, PSG declared that Neymar had sustained a sprain rather than a fracture.
On Tuesday, they announced further scans had indicated ligament damage, and Neymar must now wait until next week for a firmer timescale to be put on his recovery.
According to the United Kingdom’s National Health Service, the standard recovery time for such an injury is between six and eight weeks, which would rule him out of the second leg of PSG’s last-16 tie with Bayern on March 8.
17 – Neymar has delivered 17 assists to Kylian Mbappé in Ligue 1, the joint highest tally of assists from one player to another since Opta collect the data (2006/07), along with Angel Di Maria to Edinson Cavani. Bromance. #PSGLOSCpic.twitter.com/3mnpcwajw1
If Paris Saint-Germain overcomes their first-leg deficit against Bayern Munich in the Champions League round of 16, Kylian Mbappe maintained it won’t be viewed as a comeback.
The champions of Germany upset the champions of France 1-0 at the Parc des Princes on Tuesday thanks to a goal from former PSG forward Kingsley Coman.
In order to prevent another early Champions League departure, Christian Galtier’s team will have a lot of work to do. However, France forward Kylian Mbappe is certain that PSG will succeed in Munich.
“As we said, we said we had to take the positives. It’s a two-legged tie. We can’t change what happened in the first leg,” Mbappe said in quotes reported by PSG’s official website.
“We will go there to qualify. We know that there is a possibility. There is always a good possibility to qualify. So we will go there with a lot of energy and determination.
“It’s not a comeback. There’s no longer the away goal. We have to score a goal and we’ll be level, so we have to go there and win.
“Play our game, play attacking football, which we know how to do and try to go there and win.”
Mbappe had initially been ruled out of the first leg with a hamstring injury sustained against Montpellier on February 1.
Galtier named Mbappe among the substitutes and he entered the fray shortly before the hour, with the man himself admitting he was not supposed to play.
“I wasn’t supposed to play but I wanted to play and help my team-mates,” he added.
“We did everything, we worked night and day to get me some game time.
“I wanted to [start the game]. But sometimes you have to be satisfied with what you can do, and that’s all I could do.
“My feeling? I was a bit concerned, but I gave everything I had and I have nothing left. Now we have to continue and recover well.
“Like I said, get everyone back healthy and all come back at 100 per cent, and I’m sure it can go well.”
Fans are perplexed by Kylian Mbappe’s most recent Instagram post, who plays for Paris Saint-Germain.
Tuesday night’s Winners League round of 16 encounter pitted the defending Ligue 1 champions against Bayern Munich, the dominant team in the German Bundesliga.
Due to a recent muscle injury, Mbappe started the game on the sidelines, putting Neymar and Lionel Messi in charge of penetrating Bayern’s defense.
Kingsley Coman, a former player for Paris Saint-Germain, scored the game’s only goal in the 53rd minute to give Julian Nagelsmann’s team a slim 1-0 lead for the Bavarian club, which ultimately prevailed in the closely contested match.
With work to be done in the second leg, Mbappe took to Instagram to send a message to his fans after the disappointing display against Bayern.
Having posted a message in French, the translation tool on Instagram has got fans all confused.
Mbappe’s posted a picture with a message that read: “Tout reste à faire…” which normally would translate to “Everything remains to be done…”.
However, the message was weirdly translated as “All that remains to be done…Manchester United’s team is now on @psg.”
Naturally, Manchester United fans were quick to react to the glitch.
One fan said: “Does that mean Qatar are buying us and Mbappe is joining too???”
Another tweeted: “That translation thing does not actually translate what you wrote, it simply reads your mind and says it out loud.”
A third fan added: “Bro this translation got me confused. I need help!”
Someone else commented: “Bro just come to Manchester United already.”
The fact that United star Marcus Rashford commented on the post will only add fuel to the fire amid all the speculation about the club’s potential new owners.
Image Credit: Instagram/@k.mbappe
It has been reported that the emir of Qatar, Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani is expected to launch a bid to buy United after the Glazer family put the club on sale.
Kylian Mbappe has returned to training ahead of Paris Saint-Germain’s Champions League clash with Bayern Munich, raising the prospect of the forward featuring after he was thought likely to miss the game.
Mbappe sustained a hamstring injury in PSG’s 3-1 win at Montpellier on February 1, leading the French giants to announce he was likely to be sidelined for three weeks.
PSG boss Christophe Galtier has stressed the need to carefully manage Mbappe’s injury, while Bayern counterpart Julian Nagelsmann accused the Ligue 1 champions of “playing poker” regarding his availability.
On the eve of Tuesday’s round-of-16 first leg between the two European giants, PSG were handed a boost as Mbappe was pictured in training with his team-mates.
Mbappe’s potential return could be pivotal for a PSG side that has struggled in his absence, exiting the Coupe de France against Marseille last week before being beaten 3-1 by Monaco in Ligue 1.
Since making his PSG debut in 2017, Mbappe has recorded 57 goal contributions (34 goals, 23 assists) in 50 Champions League appearances – no other player has managed 20 goals and 20 assists in the competition during that span.
Lionel Messi was also absent for PSG’s dire defeat at Monaco, though Galtier maintained he would return to training on Monday, and the World Cup winner was seen alongside Mbappe as the side stepped up their preparations for Tuesday’s game.
Paris Saint-Germain duo Kylian Mbappe and Lionel Messi join Real Madrid’s Karim Benzema in the shortlist for FIFA’s Best Mens Award 2022.
The trio of world superstars were selected from an original list of 14 entries thanks to a equally shared vote between national team coaches, captains, journalists and fans. Unlike the finalists for the Best Women’s Award, there were no surprises in the male category, with Messi, Mbappe and Benzema the standout performers between the dates of August 2021 and 18 December 2022.
Arguably the favourite to go on and win the award, Messi of course celebrated his first ever World Cup triumph on 18 December, having a huge hand in Argentina’s victory along the way. While Mbappe was on the receiving end of that defeat, his hat-trick in the final capped off an impressive individual year for club and country. His France team-mate Benzema, who was absent in Qatar through injury, celebrated a career milestone himself, winning his first Ballon d’Or in October following a stellar season with Madrid.
Mbappe is joint-sixth with Pele in the World Cup’s all-time goalscoring chart, having netted 12 times in the tournament.
Results of the final award will be published in full following the awards ceremony on 27 February.
🚨 We have our finalists for #TheBest FIFA Men's Player Award!
Several PSG players, including Kylian Mbappe, attended a charity function for the ‘Strong3r’ Foundation. The French striker was watching the Real Madrid match during the event with his teammates.
Kylian Mbappedecided to renew his contract in May 2022 with PSG and turned down an offer from Real Madrid, who were very interested in the French striker.
Nevertheless, it seems that the player is very attentive to the Spanish side as Mbappe was watching the Copa del Rey match between Atletico andMadrid.
Several PSG players attended the charity functionof the ‘Strong3r’ Foundation and the organisers of the event uploaded a video showing the France international watching Madrid’s match.
The video lasts just two seconds but has not gone unnoticed. Many fans want to see Mbappe in Ancelotti’s side and they like the fact that the striker is keeping an eye on the Spanish team.
French Football Federation (FFF) president Noel Le Graet has apologised after being accused by Kylian Mbappe and Real Madrid of disrespecting Zinedine Zidane.
Paris Saint-Germain forward Mbappe was one of many to take aim at Le Graet over comments he made after it was confirmed Didier Deschamps is staying on as France head coach.
Le Graet said he did not care whether Zidane, who had been strongly tipped to succeed Deschamps, ended up taking on another job.
The 81-year-old also said he would not pick up the phone if former midfielder Zidane called him to discuss coaching the national team.
Many called for Le Graet to apologise, with Mbappe posting on Twitter: “Zidane is France, we don’t disrespect the legend like that…”
Madrid issued a statement on Monday criticising the “unfortunate comments”.
Los Blancos also referenced previous remarks made by Le Graet regarding striker Karim Benzema, who recently announced his retirement from international duty.
Madrid’s condemnation was swiftly followed by Le Graet releasing a statement of his own in which he attempted a U-turn.
“These awkward remarks created a misunderstanding,” said Le Graet, who has been FFF president since June 2011.
“I’d like to present my personal apologies for these remarks which absolutely do not reflect my thoughts, nor my consideration for the player he was and the coach he’s become.”
Zidane has been out of work since leaving Madrid in May 2021, having led Los Blancos to three Champions Leagues and two LaLiga titles across two spells in charge.
As a player, Zidane earned 108 caps for France and helped his country win the World Cup in 1998 and the European Championship two years later.
The 50-year-old has also been touted as a candidate to take over as head coach of Brazil, while the United States are reported to have made an approach
Kylian Mbappe has accused Noel Le Graet of disrespecting Zinedine Zidane after the French Football Federation president’s dismissive response to suggestions the former Real Madrid coach could join Brazil.
On Saturday, it was announced Didier Deschamps had signed a new four-year contract as France head coach, allowing him to lead Les Bleus at a fourth World Cup in 2026.
Former France talisman Zidane had been linked with his country’s top job on several occasions, including in the aftermath of their World Cup final defeat against Argentina last month.
However, with that position set to be occupied for the foreseeable future, Zidane has been suggested as a potential candidate to succeed Tite as Brazil’s head coach.
Asked about speculation linking Zidane with the Selecao on Sunday, Le Graet told RMC he did not “give a toss” where the 1998 World Cup winner went and added he would not answer the phone to the former midfielder.
Those comments attracted criticism from star player Mbappe, who wrote on Twitter: “Zidane is France, we don’t disrespect the legend like that…”
Zidane has been out of work since leaving Madrid in 2021, having led Los Blancos to three Champions League triumphs and two LaLiga titles across two spells at the Santiago Bernabeu.
Lionel Messi watched on as Emiliano Martinez held a doll with Kylian Mbappe’s face on it during Argentina’s World Cup victory homecoming parade.
Argentina goalkeeper, Martinez was pictured cradling the toy baby – complete with nappy, with Mbappe’s face stuck onto the head – on an open-top bus parade in Buenos Aires on Tuesday.
The goalkeeper had raised eyebrows when he performed a lewd gesture in the seconds after collecting the Golden Glove trophy at the World Cup final presentation on Sunday. He later claimed it was a response to French jeering.
His latest act is likely to increase tensions between Argentina and France and Messi’s presence, as a team-mate of Mbappe’s at Paris Saint-Germain, raises questions for when the pair return to club duty in the French capital next month.
Emiliano Martinez reignites Kylian Mbappe feud with baby doll taunt next to Lionel Messi – GETTY IMAGES
Mbappe, who scored a hat-trick in the final and yet still ended up losing, was the subject of another swipe from the Argentine players in the immediate aftermath of the final in Doha. They marked their win by holding a “moment’s silence” for the forward in the dressing room after the game.
Further celebrations saw a staff member dive head-first into a bin and Argentine players singing about “f—ing journalists” in the media area at the Lusail Stadium.
Martinez has become a focal point for some of the more questionable behaviour in the past 48 hours. He was hailed as a hero for his role in the shoot-out, which came after the game ended 3-3 in normal time.
The Aston Villa goalkeeper saved one penalty from Kingsley Coman and had an influential impact in a second being missed. He was pictured throwing the ball away when Aurelien Tchouameni had been expecting it to be returned to him. The France midfielder subsequently put his penalty wide.
Martinez then shocked millions of TV viewers when he held the goalkeeper trophy, a giant gold-plated hand, to his groin and waved it around on the podium. He later said he “did it because the French booed me. Pride doesn’t work with me.”
Argentina’s victory parade in their capital city would go on to be abandoned due to safety fears, with players being evacuated in helicopters.
Analysis: Messi and Mbappe may not be team-mates for much longer
By Jason Burt, Chief Football Correspondent
The futures of Messi and Mbappé are yet to be decided. Neither will go anywhere before the summer, but both have made it clear that they want to see how PSG’s latest attempt to win the Champions League plays out before deciding whether they will stay.
Pity Christophe Galtier, the PSG head coach who must now manage the reintegration of the two superstars – and their third, Neymar, whose World Cup ended in bitter disappointment in the quarter-final against Croatia – when the club’s next Ligue 1 fixture comes around on December 28, at home to Strasbourg.
Messi’s World Cup triumph will certainly hurt Mbappe, who is rightly regarded as the best player in the world at present and whose ambition burns brightly. But there has never previously been lasting animosity between the two players. They are not friends in the way that Mbappé is close to Achraf Hakimi, not least because there is a 12-year age gap, but there is respect and mutual admiration. Neymar, who is 30, is far closer to Messi than Mbappé is – as was evidenced in his exclusive interview with Telegraph Sport – and given their history at Barcelona that is no surprise.
Mbappé and Messi are not buddies, but neither is there any hostility. There is a far cooler relationship between Mbappé and Neymar, who were close, with the temperature having dropped further after Mbappé signed his new contract last May.
That caused consternation in Spain, where Real Madrid had convinced themselves he was joining them on a free transfer. PSG maintain they were always sure he would stay.
There have been outlandish claims of the level of control Mbappé now has at PSG, but it is fair to state that he is the most influential player at the club – just as he is with France. At the same time PSG are well aware that this, finally, might be his last season with them and having secured him on a new deal, up until 2025, they are prepared to sell if he wants to go and they receive an appropriate offer.
What would that be? One senior PSG source told Telegraph Sport: “If people realise how valuable Kylian is today then they will realise how important he is for the club.
“With Kylian it is huge. The value of Kylian? €300-350million. They [Madrid] offered more than us and he chose. That’s the biggest statement. He chose here and it was not about money.”
But it might be next year. PSG are relaxed about that, especially after the crisis in October when Mbappé made it clear he wanted to leave in the January window because, at that time, he felt his relationship with the club had broken down.
Sources close to Mbappé claimed promises made to him had not been kept, primarily the intention to sign a No 9 so that he would not have to play as a central striker, which became evident with his infamous “pivot gang” post on Instagram.
That led to tension with Neymar and sources claimed Mbappé regretted signing his new contract. It has calmed down since then, with PSG believing it was a cry for help.
Mbappe and Messi playing for PSG – FRANCK FIFE/GETTY
The situation with Messi is also clear for PSG. They, and sources close to the Argentine, emphatically reject reports that he will agree a deal to join Inter Miami at the end of this season.
When the claims were made last month PSG even double-checked with Messi’s camp and were assured that he was solely focused on the World Cup and that, as he had told them in talks before the tournament, he would be willing to stay another season in Paris if the conditions are right. There is already an option for him to do so.
It may also depend on how PSG fare in the Champions League, although Messi has told the club that he enjoys working under Galtier and they are reasonably confident he will remain. At the very least they are emphatic he has not decided his future.
Inter Miami, who are part-owned by David Beckham, have made no secret of wanting to sign Messi. Beckham also has close links with the Qataris, having played for PSG, and worked as an £150 million ambassador, controversially, during the World Cup. The Qataris would be surprised if a deal has been done behind their backs with Messi.
Three days after France’s loss in the World Cup final, Kylian Mbappe returned to Paris Saint-Germain training on Wednesday.
Mbappe became just the second player to score three goals in a World Cup final with his hat-trick against Argentina on Sunday.
However, it was only enough to secure a 3-3 tie and send a confused France squad to a penalty shootout, where they lost 4-2 despite Mbappe once more scoring from the spot.
After scoring once in France’s 2018 victory and setting a new record for most World Cup final goals, Mbappe won the Golden Boot award ahead of PSG teammate Lionel Messi.
Messi and Argentina continued to enjoy their victory over Qatar 2022 at home this week, while Mbappe quickly returned to club play after his 24th birthday on Tuesday.
Next Wednesday, PSG returns to competitive play in Ligue 1 against Strasbourg in an effort to increase their five-point lead atop the standings.
Kylian Mbappe’s younger brother, Ethan, has participated in mid-season friendlies with the PSG first squad and sat on the bench for Wednesday’s match against Quevilly-Rouen.
By winning the World Cup on Sunday, many fans believe Lionel Messi has settled the GOAT debate between him and Cristiano Ronaldo.
And on the social media front, the 35-year-old has outdone his rival – who has more than 500 million followers – with his latest Instagram post, too.
Soon after becoming a world champion, Messi shared an image of him holding the World Cup trophy during Argentina’s celebrations.
“CHAMPIONS OF THE WORLD!!!!!!!,” he posted. “So many times I dreamed it, so much I wanted it that I still don’t fall, I can’t believe it…… Thank you so much to my family, to all who support me and also to all who believed in us.
“We prove once again that Argentinians when we fight together and united we are able to achieve what we aim.
“The merit is of this group, which is above individuals, is the strength of all fighting for the same dream that was also the one of all Argentinians… We did it!!! LET’S GO ARGENTINA DAMN!!!!!We’re seeing each other very soon.”
The picture, as of Tuesday morning, has received more than 55 million likes on Instagram, which is now the most for a sportsperson on the site.
It has surpassed Ronaldo’s post of the duo sitting together at a chessboard for a collaboration with Louis Vuitton ahead of the World Cup, which stands at almost 42 million likes.
However, Messi’s is still not Instagram’s most successful ever post.
World record egg currently holds the title with 56 million likes, but Messi could find himself topping the charts very soon.
Messi played a captain’s role in Argentina’s win over France on Sunday, the South Americans’ third World Cup title and first in 36 years.
Messi scored twice, while Kylian Mbappe netted a hat-trick as the two sides drew 3-3 in extra time to send it to penalties.
Argentina would go on to score all four of their spot-kicks, stealing the crown from the reigning champions, who missed two of theirs.
Messi posted another Instagram picture with him holding the World Cup on Monday afternoon as he travelled back to Argentina on a plane with the Jules Rimet trophy.
Canadian rap star Drake predicted Argentina’s hard-won victory at the FIFA World Cup finale yesterday, Sunday, December 18, 2022, but still lost his $1 million bet.
Drake had bet in the 1×2 market, which meant he was confident Lionel Messi and his side’s victory would come within the 90 minute period of the showdown.
The lacklustre game, with Argentina completely dominating France with possession and a 2-0 scoreline, suddenly turned into a nail-biting clash some minutes into the second half.
By end of 90 minutes and 8 minutes added time, the French star Kylian Mbappe had found the net three times, twice by a penalty, bringing the scoreline to 3-3.
This signalled that the ‘God’s Plan’ hitmaker had lost on his bet.
With France finding their rhythm and confidence heading into 30 minutes of extra time, it seemed the South Americans were on their way to becoming the latest victims of the Canadian rapper’s curse; almost always, when Drake, alias Drizzy, supports or bets on a sports figure, he or she loses their game.
After a demanding 30 minutes extra time, with Rodrigo De Paul crying on the bench, the Qatar 2022 climax came to penalities.
Argentina edged out France during the shootout, 4-2, to lift the World Cup.
Gonzalo Montiel scored the winning penalty for Argentina.
Had Drake’s Sunday morning bet and prediction proven accurate, he would have won $2.75 million.
President Emmanuel Macron claims that Kylian Mbappe made France proud with a “extraordinary” performance despite Les Bleus’ devastating World Cup final loss to Argentina.
After falling behind by two goals at the Lusail Stadium, France were doomed to a demoralizing defeat, but Mbappe scored twice in a span of 97 seconds to force overtime.
Mbappe scored a late penalty to become just the second player—after England’s Geoff Hurst in 1966—to score a hat-trick in a men’s World Cup final after watching teammate Lionel Messi give Argentina the lead back.
While shoot-out misses from Kingsley Coman and Aurelien Tchouameni crushed France’s hopes of retaining the trophy, Macron – who was seen talking with Mbappe after the defeat – said the forward had made his country proud.
“We were very far behind at the end of the first period. It’s already happened, there have been comebacks like that, but it’s very rare in the history of football,” Macron told RMC Sport.
“We came back tremendously. It’s extraordinary what Mbappe did, but the whole team were hungry again. I believed in it immensely.
“Afterwards, we performed a second miracle by coming back from nowhere. We had match point.
“Mbappe is a very great player, but he is young, I told him he was only 23. He was top scorer at this World Cup. He won a World Cup [in 2018], he made a final.
“I was as sad as him. I said he made us very proud and in the end we lost a football match, we went to nothing. That’s sport.”
Mbappe’s treble took him to 12 World Cup goals in his career, drawing him level with Pele’s tally and making him the youngest player to reach double figures at the tournament, aged 23 years and 363 days.
The France forward also became just the fifth player to score in two World Cup finals, after Vava (1958, 1962), Pele (1958, 1970), Paul Breitner (1974, 1982) and Zinedine Zidane (1998, 2006).
After being the catalyst for Argentina’s victory in Qatar, Lionel Messi vowed to continue playing for his country so they could enjoy “a few more games being world champion.”
After Sunday’s thrilling final, in which Kylian Mbappe scored a hat-trick for France but still lost, the World Cup now belongs to Messi and Argentina.
A 4-2 victory on penalties after a 3-3 draw gave Argentina their third World Cup success, after lifting the trophy in 1978 and 1986 and means Messi’s final appearance on the biggest stage of all ended in a fairy tale manner.
It was the trophy he had been striving to win before the end of his career, and the 35-year-old finished the tournament with seven goals and three assists, becoming the first player to score in every round and the group stage.
He took the Golden Ball award as the best player but Mbappe pipped him to the Golden Boot with eight goals.
Messi told TyC Sports: “Obviously I wanted to close my career with this, I can’t ask for anything any more. Thank God, he gave me everything. Closing almost my career like this, it’s impressive.”
Messi knows his career is winding down and he put in the work to make sure he was in prime shape for one last shot at the World Cup.
His emotional reaction after the final whistle, kissing the trophy at the first opportunity, reflected how dearly Messi wanted this moment.
A double in the final meant Messi became the highest-scoring South American player in major international tournaments with 26 goals — 13 in the World Cup as many in the Copa America. That took him one goal ahead of Brazil great Ronaldo, who previously held the record.
“After this, what will there be? I was able to get the Copa America, World Cup… It came to me almost at the end,” Messi said
“I enjoy being in the national team, the group, I want to continue living a few more games being world champion.
“It’s every little kid’s dream, I was lucky to have achieved everything and what I was missing is here.”
Paris Saint-Germain will put the pressure on Lionel Messi and Kylian Mbappe to build on their incredible World Cup performances by winning the Champions League in 2019.
The team, which is controlled by Qatar, is aiming for European success, and they face Bayern Munich in the final 16 of the competition. Matches against the German champions are scheduled for February and March.
After seeing Mbappe win the Golden Boot as top scorer, and Messi take the Golden Ball prize as the outstanding player, PSG undoubtedly had a strong World Cup.
The sight of Mbappe and Messi in opposition with France and Argentina, as they were in Sunday’s World Cup final, will soon be replaced by them uniting on the field, possibly even by the end of the month.
PSG have a Ligue 1 game against Strasbourg on December 28, and it remains to be seen whether coach Christophe Galtier will have both men available for that game, given Messi is heading back to celebrate in Argentina in the coming days.
In a string of messages on social media, PSG addressed the two chief protagonists in the final, in which Messi scored twice and lifted the trophy, while Mbappe hit a hat-trick but finished on the beaten side.
“An extraordinary final from our two Parisians,” the club said. “One of them had to win. You’ll forever go down in footballing history, @leomessi.
“What a final! Bravo @leomessi, thank you @k.mbappe for all these emotions. You have been heroic. You have marked this World Cup with your talent. You should be proud.”
Whatever French envy there might be towards Messi should soon subside, with a photograph of Mbappe and Messi touching hands during the game receiving plenty of love from PSG’s players.
Club-mates Nuno Mendes and Danilo Pereira both posted the picture, adding emojis of applauding hands.
Midfield stalwart Marco Verratti addressed Messi’s success, writing on Instagram: “You deserve it friend. Congratulations.”
To Mbappe, Verratti wrote: “Head high. You showed the whole world that you’re a phenomenon.”
“Congratulations” was the message from defender Juan Bernat to Messi, and “Bravo to you too” he said to Mbappe.
Former PSG boss Mauricio Pochettino praised Argentina coach Scaloni, saying in a message to his compatriot: “Congratulations Lionel. Thank you!”
PSG have never won the Champions League, and it is the footballing holy grail for them now, with each incoming coach knowing winning domestic silverware alone is not considered to be fulfilling the remit of the job.
They went closest in 2020, losing out in the final to Bayern, for whom Frenchman Kingsley Coman scored the only goal in Lisbon. Coman was one of two France players to fail from the spot in Sunday’s World Cup penalty shoot-out, along with Aurelien Tchouameni.
Given the outstanding form that Messi and Mbappe have shown over the last month, PSG may never be better placed to strike for continental trophy glory.
Yet there is another matter brewing, which is that Messi and Mbappe may be in the final throes of their club alliance.
With Messi’s two-year contract at PSG due to expire at the end of this season, removing uncertainty over his future might become as great a priority as the next trophy.
President Nasser Al-Khelaifi said in early December the matter would be discussed after the World Cup, with Messi having been linked with a possible end-of-season switch to Inter Miami.
When France plays England in the World Cup quarterfinals, Ibrahima Konate is eager to get a close-up view of Kylian Mbappe and Kyle Walker’s struggle.
Following their victory against Poland, Didier Deschamps’ team will now face one of the few remaining unbeaten teams in Qatar 2022 when they face Gareth Southgate’s Three Lions.
The tournament’s top performer thus far has been forward Kylian Mbappe, who leads the Golden Boot standings with five goals.
But in England right-back Walker, he will likely have his biggest test to date. Konate is eager to watch the two clash.
“Walker and Mbappe are two very great players,” he said. “Walker is one of the best right-backs in the world, I cannot wait to see this battle.
“[But] it’s complicated [to defend against Mbappe]. Kylian is impressive. Each year, he evolves and becomes even better.
“I don’t know where he will stop. We are lucky to have him in our team and not against us.”
This is the 9️⃣th time 🇫🇷 have reached the 𝗾𝘂𝗮𝗿𝘁𝗲𝗿-𝗳𝗶𝗻𝗮𝗹𝘀 of a 𝗪𝗼𝗿𝗹𝗱 𝗖𝘂𝗽, and the 3️⃣rd time in a row (2014, 2018, 2022) 👊
Mbappe missed team training on Tuesday, instead completing routines inside away from the rest of the squad, sparking fears of a potential injury knock.
But Konate shut down such talk, suggesting instead it was a preordained decision as part of his post-match recovery process.
“It was a little recovery session, the day before we had a day off,” he added. “I think he decided to stay indoors with the coach.
“There is nothing to worry about. We are counting on him as on all the players in the group. Everyone must be in good health to face England.”
On Saturday, when England and France square off in the World Cup quarterfinals, Kyle Walker won’t show Kylian Mbappe any extra favors.
The Three Lions easily defeated Senegal in the round of 16, but they now face their toughest test yet against the defending champions.
While Walker is fully aware of the threat that Paris Saint-Germain star Mbappe poses, he says that Gareth Southgate’s team must concentrate on Les Bleus as a whole rather than on any one player.
The Manchester City ace, 32, said: “He’s a great player in great form so it’s not going to be an easy task.
“But as a professional you want to play against the best players and he is one of the best in the world.
“Of course, I understand the focus and I understand what I need to do to stop him. It’s easier said than done but I don’t underestimate myself.
“I’ve come up against some of the best players in the world but I have to treat it just as another game. You have to give him respect but not too much.
“It will be a tough game but a team cannot just be about one person. I’m not going to roll out a red carpet for him and tell him to score. It’s a World Cup, it’s do or die.
Kyle Walker will have the unenviable task of keeping Kylian Mbappe quiet on Saturday
“When City have played Paris Saint-Germain in the Champions League, we’re not just thinking of Mbappe — and it’s the same on Saturday.
“Yes, he’s a tool in their armoury — and a very good one — but you can’t underestimate their other players.
“We know he’s a great player and that’s why he’s the focus of all questions. But let’s not forget Olivier Giroud, who has scored lots of goals, Ousmane Dembele and Antoine Griezmann.
“For me, all the questions shouldn’t be about him [Mbappe]. I appreciate he’s a great footballer but there are others as well.”
A new generation
Jude Bellingham has been a standout performer for England in Qatar
The England team’s campaign in Qatar has provided players like Jude Bellingham, Bukayo Saka, and Phil Foden the chance to excel internationally.
The three have combined to help the Three Lions score eight of their 12 goals thus far in the competition.
Giving his opinion on the young talent shining in Southgate’s squad, Walker said: “It is great for the English game.
“Jude being one who has the courage to play for England that others didn’t have when they were younger. They have no fear and they go in and express themselves.
“We have to pay a big compliment to the manager. He has allowed the youngsters that chance but they want to be the best they can be as a footballer.
“I feel the standard of players has gone up another level in this tournament.
“As a team in Russia [in 2018], we were a little inexperienced in big matches. We got to the semi-final, we scored early and we didnt know how to handle that. We’re more equipped now.”
Underdogs no more
Kyle Walker is ready for the challenge of France in the quarter-finals
There would have been a time when England went into a game with France as huge underdogs — but that is no longer the case.
Walker added: “We’re playing the world champions but we are two good teams that will go toe to toe. You’ve seen what can happen in 90-plus minutes.
“There have been shocks and for us this is just another game. We take our hat off to them as world champions but each and every one of us will not be rolling that red carpet out for them to treat it as a theatre.
“We have great talent — let’s talk about the goals we’ve scored and the clean sheets we’ve kept.
“In my eyes, neither team is the underdogs or the favourites.
“This is a great opportunity to show we can beat a big team. To beat France would give us confidence.”
GOAL runs through the leading contenders for the most prestigious individual honour on offer in Qatar.
Diego Maradona, Ronaldo, Zinedine Zidane – some of the biggest names in football history have illuminated the game’s grandest stage. But who will be named the tournament’s best player this year?
Two former winners will be present in Qatar, of course, with Lionel Messi again leading Argentina and Luka Modric captaining Croatia.
But could the prize go to one of the young guns, such as Kylian Mbappe, Gavi or Jude Bellingham?
Below, GOAL runs through all of the leading contenders in the tournament’s player rankings…
10Theo Hernandez
Theo Hernandez may not be the greatest defender in the world but he’s absolutely outstanding going forward, as he’s already emphasised in Qatar. His debut may not have come in ideal circumstances, with the AC Milan attacker brought on against Australia after his brother Lucas had suffered a tournament-ending injury. But Hernandez has made the most of his opportunity, creating the crucial equaliser for Adrien Rabiot against the Socceroos, before then combining with Kylian Mbappe to break the deadlock in the 2-1 win over Denmark. With Hernandez now in the starting line-up, France’s left flank now looks like an absolute nightmare for opposition back-lines. Indeed, he’s already joint-top of the chances created charts, with nine.
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9Mohammed Kudus
Ajax fans have long been frustrated by Alfred Schreuder’s sparing use of Mohammed Kudus, and it’s easy to see why. The 22-year-old has already made a massive impact on this turn. He showed off his pace and dribbling skills against Portugal but there was no end product. All that changed against South Korea, with Kudus scoring twice to earn the Black Stars a vital victory and establish himself as one of the competition’s breakout stars.
8Richarlison
So, that’s why he’s Brazil’s No.9! Richarlison is not everyone’s cup of tea. He’s a divisive character and his record at club level is unimpressive. However, he’s a different beast for Brazil. Richarlison’s showcased his predatory instincts in pouncing on a rebound to break the deadlock in the Selecao’s win over Serbia, before then sealing victory with a spectacular scissors-kick. He drew a blank against Serbia but the fact remains that nobody’s scored more goals for Brazil since Richarlison made his international debut in September 2018 (19), and he should add to his tally as this tournament goes on.
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7Enner Valencia
The Ecuador captain enjoyed a record-breaking night against Qatar. In coolly converting a penalty that he won himself, the 33-year-old became the oldest player to score the opener at a finals. His opening-night double also made him the first man to score five tournament goals in a row for a South American side. In extending that record to six with the crucial equaliser in the 1-1 draw with Netherlands, Valencia emerged as an unlikely contender for the top scorer award. However, Ecuador’s elimination signals the end of his challenge, and he’ll soon lose his spot in our top 10 too.
6Antoine Griezmann
Still without a goal but Antoine Griezmann, with his wonderful work-rate and terrific technique, is one of the main reasons why France are through to the last 16. Mbappe may be Les Bleus’ star but Griezmann is the man that makes their forward line function. Everything goes through him, he is the creator-in-chief, as underlined by the fact that no player has created more chances at this tournament to date than Griezmann (11).
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5Marcus Rashford
Fair to say Marcus Rashford is back to his very best. The Manchester United attacker began this tournament on the bench but scored as a substitute in the 6-2 win over Iran on matchday one and then made the most of his first start, bagging a double in the 3-0 rout of Wales that sealed England’s place in the last 16. And with that, Rashford has gone from a reserve to a certain starter, not to mention a top-scorer contender.
4Lionel Messi
The man is human, as his penalty miss against Poland underlined, but Messi’s influence on Argentina on 34 years of age is super-natural. As well as effectively turning their campaign around with his stunning opener against Mexico, he’s now also joint-second in the overall standings for both chances created (nine) and dribbles completed (eight) after a typically influential display against Poland. In that 2-0 win, he also became the oldest man to complete make at least five dribbles and fashion five-plus openings in the same game. The previous record holder? Diego Maradona, naturally. Messi may not have been able to beat Wojciech Szczesny on the night he now looks primed to make a serious run at a second successive player of the tournament award.
3Cody Gakpo
How much is Cody Gakpo worth now?! The PSV winger was a man in demand even before the tournament began, with talk of a move to England intensifying after a fine start to the season. He certainly seems destined to play for one of Europe’s elite after underlining his class with three goals in three games in Qatar.
2Bruno Fernandes
Cristiano Ronaldo may be hogging all the headlines but it’s already become clear that Bruno is Portugal’s most important player. He’s been decisive in both of their games so far. Against Ghana, with the game tied at one goal apiece, it was the Manchester United man who proved the Seleccao’s difference-maker, creating goals for Joao Felix and Rafael Leao. He then bagged both goals in the 2-0 win over Uruguay that sealed the Seleccao’s place in the last 16. Bruno brings a combination of industry and innovation to the party that few other players in this tournament can match.
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1Kylian Mbappe
A man who considered quitting international football a year ago now looks set to write more history with France. Indeed, against Australia, he became the youngest Frenchman to reach five tournament goals. He’s now up to seven, after a devastating double in the 2-1 win over Denmark that saw Les Bleus become the first side to reach the last 16. He may not have managed a goal during his cameo in the 1-0 loss to Tunisia, as Didier Deschamps looked to protect his most valuable player, but he still provoked panic in the opposition defence when he came on. Indeed, right now, Mbappe looks a cut above every other single player at this tournament.
The 23-year-old forward, who has scored goals for France at the competition’s youngest age, once again stole the show by scoring goals in the second half to help his team advance.
Theo Hernandez and the Paris St. Germain player exchanged a beautiful one-two before stroking in to break the tie just past the hour mark.
Seven minutes later, Denmark equalized when defender Andreas Christensen headed in at the far post after France failed to clear a corner.
Christensen, however, would have considered himself fortunate to still be on the field at that moment after only getting a yellow card for hauling back Mbappe on the 20th minute as he attempted to sprint clear.
Hugo Lloris of France made a quick save to stop Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg of Tottenham’s first-time shot, while Martin Braithwaite agonizingly fired into the side netting.
Mbappe, however, had the ultimate word with four minutes remaining, slipping in at the far post to score Antoine Griezmann’s cross.
The best players across the globe will soon swap their club kits and report for international duty. To represent their countries in a fight for the greatest prize in all of soccer: the FIFA World Cup. Yes, the world’s marquee sporting event has arrived. We’re a few days away from kicking off the first ever World Cup during the winter. While most aren’t the biggest soccer aficionados, everyone tunes in to the World Cup in some capacity. From watching the matches, to keeping tabs on headlines and consuming all the content, the 2022 World Cup in Qatar is finally upon us. Here is a list of some of the players, not in order, that you should watch for this tournament.
Lionel Messi – Argentina
Leo Messi accepting defeat at the 2014 World Cup Final. Image via Getty
Touted as one of the greatest to most and the GOATto many, PSG’s Lionel Messi goes into the World Cup in fine form with the best Argentina side since they made a run to the Final in 2014. In what is likely his final chance to add a World Cup trophy to all his accolades and silverware, he leads an impressive Argentina team that is on a 35-match unbeaten streak. Considered a dark horse to win the World Cup, this team always has a chance to take it all with Messi dominating the pitch with his brilliance. Expect him to pour everything he has into his final chance at locking up the glory for his country and the undisputed GOAT title.
Cristiano Ronaldo – Portugal
Image via Francois Nel/Getty
Dominating headlines and the sport for well over a decade plus with his talent and charisma, Cristiano Ronaldo enters his final World Cup with a strong Portuguese side. Despite him not being in his best form following a major rift between him and Manchester United to start the club season, this Portugal team is in good position to make a deep run. Ronaldo is always a threat to score goals and with one of the best teams he’s lined up with in this tournament you can expect their talisman to turn it on for his country. Like Messi, his GOAT status can be secured if the Seleção das Quinas lift the World Cup Trophy in December especially after a rough stretch with Man United.
Neymar Jr. – Brazil
Image via Getty/Michael Reaves
As one of the if not the most exciting players to watch for club and country, Neymar leads Brazil into the 2022 World Cup as the favorites to win it all. He is in the form of his life at the moment, netting goals and assists for PSG with relative ease. While the favorite for the World Cup has never won it all, he looks to add to his legacy as one of the greatest footballers of all time. If you thought his Paris Saint Germain team was stacked, the Brazil squad has the talent to win it all and then some but he is undoubtedly the best player on his team and possibly the entire tournament this year. He should be an easy favorite for the Golden Boot this tournament.
Kylian Mbappe – France
Image via Getty/Ryan Pierse
With news of Karim Benzema picking up an injury just before their first group stage game, Kylian Mbappe becomes even more important for the reigning champions. They’ve suffered a handful of injuries and losing the Ballon d’Or Benz is huge but Mbappe has proven before he can carry a team with his pace, ability, and skill. The young stud has a clinical precision for goal and is considered one of the best when it comes to burying it in the net. Erling Haaland has recently taken the mantle for best young player in the world with a scorching start for Man City but with a strong run for France he can easily claim that back. It’s incredibly hard to repeat in the World Cup yet if Mbappe is in form there is no stopping his prowess on the pitch.
Harry Kane – England
Image via Getty/Michael Regan
Despite never securing a trophy in his entire footballing career for club and country, Harry Kane enters the 2022 World Cup with one of his best chances. This English national team is one of their strongest sides in quite some time and the Tottenham Spurs striker should relish many goal scoring opportunities to put on for his country. Could it be coming home? That will rely on Kane putting in the finest performances of his career with a team that continues to ascend the national team ranks. He will be extremely important for England and could challenge for the Golden Boot if they make a deeper run into the knockout stages.
Kevin De Bruyne – Belgium
Image via Getty/Dean Mouhtaropoulos
Considered the best midfielder in the game at the moment and he hasn’t even reached his peak yet. Manchester City and Belgium’s KDB is a boss on the pitch. One of the best international teams of the decade despite not winning any major trophies, his team made an epic run to the Semis in the 2018 World Cup but lost to Croatia. Expect him to control the game for his side as the best player on the team and push the Belgians forward to and deep into the knockout stages. He is a must watch talent and one of the finest players in the entire sport.
Christian Pulisic – USA
Image via Getty/Silvestre Szpylma
Captain America debuts in his first World Cup as the USMNT returns to international football after missing out on the biggest stage in 2018. At this stage in his career, Pulisic is still fighting for first team minutes with Chelsea but he knows how to make an impact in his limited time. Yet while he plays international football, Pulisic is their most important player. He’s the leader and arguably the best player that the United States has ever produced to play the beautiful game. Yes, he’s already up there with Landon Donovan and Clint Dempsey. Will he add to his legacy? Team USA will need him firing on all cylinders to make a deeper run with their young squad and he’s more than capable as he suits up for the red, white and blue.
Pedri – Spain
Image via Getty/Fran Santiago
One of the game’s youngest stars suits up for one of the youngest Spanish sides the country has ever fielded for a World Cup. Arriving in Barcelona two years ago and breaking out for the club in such a short time frame, Spain’s wunderkind is oozing with talent. Despite being only 19 years old, he finds himself as his team’s most important player and one of the critical pieces to their success during this WC. Claiming both the 2021 Golden Boy and Kopa Trophy, both awarded to the best player under 21, the kid has a balled out in any competition he competes in. He will shine and continue to ascend the ranks as one of the best in the game.
Federico Valverde – Uruguay
Image via Getty/Alberto Valdez
Coming off a breakout season at Real Madrid where he’s pivoted from the midfield to the right wing for Real Madrid, it seems Fede is tapping into a new level. He’s a fixture on the reigning UCL Champs club’s starting XI and now has found himself banging screamers into the net to kick off the new season. The ever so versatile player continues to become more well-rounded with experience and will be extremely important for a true dark horse in Uruguay to win it all. Finding himself as a scorer only adds to the strong side’s chances. Look for him to break out on an international level this 2022 World Cup.
Jamal Musiala
Image via Getty
Bayern Munich’s latest phenom looks to take the international stage by storm. Musiala is only 19 years old but has tallied 22 goal contributions, 12 goals and 10 assists, in just 22 games meaning he has a huge impact for Germany’s biggest football club this season.
While the German international team is relatively experienced, the young yet gifted attacking midfielder can impact the game with just a single touch on the pitch.
He is extremely talented, slicing through opposing defense at will and will be a menace for the opposition to contain.
Garang Kuol became Australia’s youngest World Cup star on Tuesday but noted the “big difference” he must bridge in order to regularly rub shoulders with the likes of Kylian Mbappe.
Kuol, who at 18 years and 68 days old was the ninth-youngest player in the tournament’s history, was brought on as a 73rd-minute substitute moments after the final goal in the Socceroos’ 4-1 opening defeat to holders France.
The highly talented winger – already confirmed as a Newcastle United signing ahead of a January move – enjoyed a few bright touches yet saw a significant gap to his opponents.
Kuol did not start a single A-League game for Central Coast Mariners, although he scored six goals in 326 minutes from the bench.
Meanwhile, Mbappe was France’s star man as they took the title in Russia 2018 four years ago and appears to be in the mood to repeat the feat.
“You could see the level that they’re at,” Kuol said afterwards.
“They’re 6ft 4[in] people who are as quick as me, so there was a big difference between me and some of those players. Only hard work will get me to that level.
“I think it was a good taste to see the level the players are at. Some play in the Premier League, some play in the Champions League, so it was good to get that taste of the level.”
Mbappe in particular was relentless after a slow start had seen Australia lead through Craig Goodwin in the ninth minute.
The Paris Saint-Germain forward scored the third goal before creating the fourth for Olivier Giroud, having also had a role in the second – again scored by Giroud.
Mbappe had 19 touches in the Australia box – the most by any player in a World Cup match since 1970 – and completed three dribbles.
Australia right-back Nathaniel Atkinson endured a torrid time, not helped by the introduction of attacking France left-back Theo Hernandez after his brother Lucas was injured attempting to prevent the Socceroos goal.
Atkinson was dribbled past twice and gave away possession on 12 occasions, including an error leading to France’s second.
“It’s obviously the first time I’ve come up against this type of opposition in my career,” Atkinson said.
“Obviously, I’ve taken full responsibility for the second goal, but the beauty of the tournament is you can’t dwell on it because you’ve got another game to fix it in three days.
“It’s a good experience. It’s an eye-opener. There’s a reason [Mbappe] is earning 200million [Australian] dollars a year and I am where I am, but that’s something to look forward to.
“It’s good to come up against this calibre. You know what to work on. I know what to fix; I’ve played that scenario 50 times over and I could probably come up with 50 different solutions. That’s football. I’m disappointed.
“It’s just the physicality of the guy. The pace… it’s not hidden how quick that guy is – you give him one step and he’s gone.
“As a team, you can always come up with a plan, but sometimes if it’s one-v-one and he gets the better of you, it’s a learning curve.
“You can get your confidence up with getting a few challenges in, but there’s a reason why he’s one of the top three players in the world.”
Australia are not giving up hope, inspired by Saudi Arabia’s sensational defeat of Argentina earlier on Tuesday.
“Anything can happen,” Atkinson added. “You see what Saudi did against Argentina.
“We’ve come up against the world champions, and there’s a reason for that. They’re a good footballing team. We can take confidence from the way we played early on in that game.”
Mauricio Pochettino has hinted Kylian Mbappemay need to leave his Paris Saint-Germain “comfort zone” to develop into a Ballon d’Or contender.
World Cup winner Mbappe, who will look to help France defend their crown in Qatar, has repeatedly been linked with a move away from the Parc des Princes to Real Madrid.
The Spanish and European champions appeared set to lure Mbappe to Madrid on a free transfer ahead of the 2022-23 season, only for the forward to sign a bumper three-year extension with PSG in May.
Further uncertainty clouded the 23-year-old’s future as fresh reports of discontent emerged in October, though Mbappe assured his commitment remains in the French capital.
Yet, former PSG coach Mauricio Pochettino suggested the ex-Monaco attacker might have to move on to fully realise his world-class potential.
Pochettino told Spanish newspaper El Pais: “He may be a leader because everyone sees him as the best striker in the world, but today the Ballon d’Or has been won by Benzema, who is French like him. The evolution of Mbappe comes from leaving the comfort zone.
“Renewing for PSG is good for the club and its fans. But Mbappe in the future will have to consider that leaving his comfort zone will bring him closer to fighting for the Ballon d’Or.”
Mbappe has found the net 19 times in 20 appearances for PSG this term, a tally only bettered by Manchester City’s Erling Haaland (23) among players in Europe’s top five leagues.
The PSG star became just the second teenager to score in a World Cup final (after Pele in 1958) at his first major international tournament in 2018, though Pochettino believes Mbappe is still “immature”.
“Mbappe is younger than [Lionel Messi and Neymar] and still immature,” Pochettino said. “But he has won a World Cup. He is an animal, he has great charisma but still needs to find himself.
“Leo and Ney are total players, they are more responsible although in different ways.”
Mbappe will hope to fire France to more World Cup glory as Les Bleus start their campaign in the Middle East against Australia in Tuesday’s Group D clash.
Phil Foden says England have not seen the best of him yet, while outlining his intentions to reach the levels of Neymar and Kylian Mbappe.
The 22-year-old heads to the World Cup in Qatar on the back of a fine campaign so far with Manchester City, scoring seven goals and contributing three assists in 14 appearances across all competitions.
Foden is looking to transfer that form to the international stage, where he feels he is yet to perform at his highest level, and refuted suggestions he is comparable to Messi and Neymar– though he aspires to be in the future.
“The people you’ve just mentioned there are way above me at the moment, but I like to think I could be there one day,” he said.
“It’s all about taking small steps in the right direction. I just want to take my club form into the national team. With my club form this year, I’ve been scoring a lot of goals and I want to bring that to the national team.
“I’ve got to score in big games and big finals to be world class. I know I’m capable of doing that, so it’s something I strive for and look forward to.
“Have England seen the best of me? Definitely not. I don’t think it is easy coming into a team and not knowing the players very well.
“You have to learn to play with different players and what they like best – running behind, or wanting balls to feet. Just little details like that. I have had enough experience in the England team to understand the players. Hopefully I can bring that into the World Cup.
“I definitely should have scored a lot more for England really. We have quality in every area on the pitch, so we can’t always rely on Harry [Kane] because teams are going to try to cut him off, because of how good he is.
“It is going to take not just Harry to step up this tournament. Us attacking players are going to have to step up as well as times.”
England commence their World Cup campaign on Monday against Iran, then tackling the United States and Wales in Group B.
Julian Nagelsmann feels Bayern Munich’s100 per cent record in the Champions League group stage was “not rewarded” after being drawn against Paris Saint-Germain in the round of 16.
Nagelsmann’s men won all six group games to finish top of Group C, including home and away victories over Inter and Barcelona, becoming the first side in competition history to be victorious in all of their group matches in back-to-back seasons.
Despite this, Monday’s draw pitted Bayern against French champions PSG, who boast the likes of Lionel Messi, Neymar and Kylian Mbappe in their squad.
Nagelsmann believes his team have not received the full benefit for their group-stage heroics, telling reporters: “PSG are a difficult opponent.
“The perfect group phase is not rewarded with [drawing that opponent] – they have a lot of world-class players just like we do.
“But this is the Champions League, so it’s normal that there are no easy opponents in the round of 16.”
6 – Paris have won six games against Bayern Munich in European competitions, more than against any other side (L5). Only against Real Madrid (12), have Bayern lost more games than they have versus Paris (6) in their European history. Lucky? https://t.co/bMVbkSxOAi
PSG themselves went undefeated in the group stage, winning four and drawing two of their matches.
But a remarkable 6-1 win for Benfica over Maccabi Haifa on the final matchday saw Christophe Galtier’s team have top spot snatched off them by virtue of the Portuguese side scoring more away goals.
Bayern CEO Oliver Kahn echoed Nagelsmann’s sentiments on the difficulty of the draw, but also spoke of his excitement over watching two of Europe’s elite clubs face off in a repeat of the 2019-20 final, which the Bavarian side won 1-0 thanks to a Kingsley Coman winner.
“We can look forward to two great games with the best players in Europe,” Kahn told Sky. “I think these will be two highly attractive games.”
Kylian Mbappe conceded Paris Saint-Germain did not do enough to top their Champions League group, which Benfica topped in dramatic circumstances on Wednesday.
Goals from Mbappe and Nuno Mendes at Juventus, either side of Leonardo Bonucci’s equaliser, seemed to have Christophe Galtier’s side on course to top Group H courtesy of a 2-1 triumph.
However, Benfica scored five unanswered second-half goals at Maccabi to win 6-1, the latter of which from Joao Mario in the 92nd minute snatched top spot on away goals scored.
For the first instance in Champions League history, PSG and Benfica could not be separated by their head-to-head record, goals scored or conceded, though Mbappe suggested his side should have done more.
“During the match, we did not know, but in the end they tried to warn us” the World Cup-winning forward told RMC Sport.
“But that was the end, it doesn’t matter, we qualified. We came to do the work, that’s not enough, we’ll watch the draw and we’ll play to win.”
Galtier pinpointed PSG’s 7-2 win over Maccabi on matchday five as a warning sign and lamented the fine margins that saw his side finish second.
“When we were winning 7-2 last week, we stopped playing at the 90th minute,” he told Canal+. “We conceded too many goals during the group stage from set-pieces, as we did against Maccabi.
“If we’d conceded one goal fewer, we would have finished top of the group.”
PSG failed to top their Champions League group for a second straight season after finishing first in each of the previous four, but Galtier insisted his side have still performed well in Europe’s top competition.
“We could consider everything. We knew this possibility. Congratulations to Benfica, who scored more away goals than us,” he added.
“Afterwards, I congratulate my team and my group. We had a good group. We scored a lot of goals. That’s the history of the Champions League. This competition is sometimes irrational and we saw that.
“We had an exceptional journey. We’ve beaten Juventus twice and we were very happy until the 92nd minute.
“But if you want to go far in this competition, you have to beat big teams. Let’s wait for the draw and see who we get in the last 16.”
Lionel Messi and Kylian Mbappe combined superbly to inspire Paris Saint-Germain to a 3-0 Ligue 1 win at Ajaccio on Friday.
The defending champions were without the suspended Neymar, leaving it up to the two other stars on their forward line to send PSG six points clear at the top. They did so in style.
Mbappe, who recently slammed reports of him wanting to leave the club as “completely false”, cut a frustrated figure for much of the game even after breaking the deadlock in the 24th minute.
He was teed up by Messi for that opener before missing a series of chances to claim a hat-trick.
However, a commanding PSG display was eventually reflected by the scoreline as Mbappe and Messi linked up brilliantly for the latter to make it 2-0 before the long-time Real Madrid target added further gloss with his second.
Vincent Marchetti fired over as the hosts started brightly, but Ajaccio were punished for leaving Messi and Mbappe far too much space as the former Barcelona superstar played the France forward in for a routine finish.
Yet joy soon turned to frustration for Mbappe, who wasted two gilt-edged chances to double PSG’s lead, blazing over on each occasion.
Mbappe’s woes continued in the second half as he cleared the crossbar again, yet his profligacy was never likely to matter.
He ensured it would not in a bewitching move with Messi for PSG’s 78th-minute second.
Mbappe’s backheel return pass in their one-two was exquisite and Messi finished the move in fitting fashion by shifting the ball beyond the helpless Benjamin Leroy and tapping into an empty net.
Messi then returned to the role of creator, teeing up Mbappe on the edge of the box, with Leroy left with no chance by a fierce finish into bottom left-corner.
What does it mean? – PSG cruising through title defence
While nearest challengers Lorient are at least giving the title race a veneer of competitiveness, PSG’s six-point lead over the Brittany club is not reflective of their dominance.
They are now unbeaten in their last 21 games in Ligue 1, their joint-longest unbeaten streak, which they last set between May 19, 2018 and January 27, 2019.
Mbappe makes his point
Having had to deny transfer speculation and then deal with being booed in Paris at the Ballon d’Or ceremony this week, Mbappe made his point on the pitch.
Though he could have had three more, his double made it 10 goals in 10 league games for Mbappe, putting him on pace to smash last season’s effort of 28 in 35. Six of his goals have been assisted by Messi, whose tally now stands at nine goals created.
Quiet day for Donnarumma
PSG have kept a clean sheet in three successive Ligue 1 games, a run of 342 minutes without conceding.
There was rarely any danger of Gianluigi Donnarumma being beaten here, Ajaccio finishing the game with 0.2 expected goals.
What’s next?
PSG host Maccabi Haifa as they look to secure progression from Champions League Group H on Tuesday, before welcoming Troyes to the Parc des Princes a week on Saturday. Ajaccio visit Auxerre a day later.
Kylian Mbappe has described reports he wants to leave Paris Saint-Germain in January as “completely wrong”.
Mbappe, who played in PSG’s 1-0 Ligue 1 win over Marseille on Sunday, was said to have felt betrayed by the club hierarchy.
The World Cup-winning 23-year-old signed a new contract in May, after months of uncertainty, but he was reported to have become unsettled once more after a failure to meet his demands both tactically and in recruitment.
PSG football advisor Luis Campos emphatically denied those reports by claiming Mbappe had not informed the club of such intentions, while head coach Galtier also expressed confusion over the speculation.
The France international has now had his say on the reports, which surfaced just before PSG’s Champions League match against Benfica on Tuesday, and is adamant they are not true.
“I’m very happy, I never asked to leave in January,” he said, speaking to French media. “The info came out on the day of the match, I didn’t understand. I’m not even remotely involved in this news. I was just as shocked as everyone else.
“People may think I’m involved, but I’m not involved at all, I was taking a nap. My entourage was at my little brother’s game, all the people who take care of me weren’t there, so we were flabbergasted when we found out.
“Afterwards, we had to deal with it, there was a game to play. Just to say it’s completely wrong, and I’m very happy.”
Mbappe had been a target for Real Madrid before agreeing to prolong his stay in Paris.
He said: “I am a football player, the most important thing for me is to play and give my best on the pitch. If I start spreading myself too thin, I will get tired very quickly.
“When you play at PSG, you know what you’re getting into, what it’s going to involve in the good and in the bad. You have to be ready.
“Those who come here know, we warn them. We’re right in it at the moment, but we are focused on winning games and titles.”
Mbappe has started the season in prolific form in front of goal, scoring 12 goals in 14 games across all competitions for the French champions.
Christophe Galtier angrily articulated his frustration about the latest Kylian Mbappe transfer speculation as the Paris Saint-Germain boss questioned why his point of view is never believed.
In his first season with PSG, Galtier has had to cope with reports and rumours of unrest within his squad, and this week saw newspaper claims from Spain that Mbappe is once again thinking about a future away from Paris.
That seemed improbable when the France striker signed a new contract in May, having been urged to do so by no less an authority than France’s president, Emmanuel Macron.
The 23-year-old turned his back on a possible free transfer to Real Madrid, but he has at times appeared unhappy this season, and now there are suggestions he would welcome a move away from PSG as soon as January.
Galtier has already scoffed at such talk, and he has claimed Mbappe’s focus is where it should be, on delivering results for the French champions.
Those results have tailed off at an unfortunate time, with a pair of Champions League draws against Benfica coming either side of a 0-0 stalemate with Ligue 1 strugglers Reims.
Ahead of Sunday’s Classique against Marseille, Galtier was asked how he coped with the incessant news cycle, the focus on the team, and situations such as that with Mbappe.
“You have to have experience and be a certain age to be able to manage these things,” he said, before launching into a tirade about media coverage.
“What I’d like to say is you never speak about football. You ask me lots of questions. I’m not talking about you individually, but you, the media.
“I’ve been here many times as the Paris Saint-Germain coach and I have a feeling that match after match, press conference after press conference, we have to speak for 10 or 15 minutes and for maybe one minute about football. It is topics away from football.
“Whatever I say to you, you don’t believe me, because you write the opposite and you say the opposite. Whether it is the written press, the radio, television, you say the opposite of what I say.
“So when I say that this [player] is well, they get on well, they are serious, they are professional, they have solidarity, it interests nobody. Other things are written.
“I am not here to comment on rumours. To answer your question about Kylian Mbappe, there is a rumour that came out before the game [against Benfica on Tuesday]. He had the best answer. He was named man of the match. He played well, he put in a great performance and showed solidarity.
“As for what is happening away from that, you have the right to talk about other things, but when you ask me questions I answer honestly. I have lots of faults, but I am very honest. When I say it, it is true. But when I say those things, nothing is written in the press, and you often see the opposite anyway.
“So to answer about Kylian Mbappe, have I spoken to him regarding the rumour, no.
“I am very proud to be the coach of Paris Saint-Germain and to be in charge of these players. Please, write that and let’s talk about football.”
Talking about football does not always make for comfortable reading either. Galtier has won just four of his 25 encounters as a coach against Marseille in Ligue 1 (D10 L11), a 16 per cent win-rate, and he only has a worse such ratio against Auxerre (D4 L1 in 5 games).
Previous clashes have been during his time in charge of Saint-Etienne, Lille and Nice, however.
As PSG boss, the expectations are different, and the leaders will be expected to get the better of a side who sit third heading into the weekend.
Galtier said PSG have been in a “very intense” spell of games, but he recognised the same applies for Marseille, who are also involved in the Champions League.
Sergio Ramos misses out through suspension this week after his red card against Reims, but Lionel Messi should be back from a calf injury.
Messi trained on Friday and barring any problems on Saturday he will be in Galtier’s squad.
“It’s the match that everyone looks forward to in the French league,” said Galtier. “When I wasn’t the Paris Saint-Germain coach, I was always excited to watch it. It is the Classique. Everybody is excited about it.”
Galtier, who hails from Marseille, was adamant the vibe in the PSG dressing room is one of unity rather than division.
“Of course we don’t all kiss each other every day, but things are going much better than elsewhere,” he said.
“It is going much better than you might write or imagine. Kylian Mbappe is doing very well.”
Christophe Galtier hailed the performance and focus of Kylian Mbappe against Benfica after “very surprising” reports emerged that the forward again wants to leave Paris Saint-Germain.
Mbappe gave PSG the lead at Parc des Princes on Tuesday, converting from the penalty spot in the first half to become the club’s leading scorer in the Champions League.
Joao Mario subsequently responded with a spot-kick of his own after the interval, though the result seemingly paled insignificance after reports suggested Mbappe had demanded an exit from PSG.
The World Cup-winning 23-year-old only signed a new three-year extension in May but has reportedly become unsettled once more after a failure to meet his demands both tactically and in recruitment.
“We talked a lot about him this afternoon. I didn’t talk about it with him, the objective is to stay focused on the match,” Galtier told RMC Sport after PSG were held to a 1-1 draw in the Group H encounter.
“He gave a lot, he showed that he is a great player, focused on the game and the competition. We were all focused on the goal and on the match.
“From the rumour, we make information and from information, we make a statement. I find that very surprising a few hours before a very important match…”
Mbappe’s goal was not enough to secure progression to the Champions League knockout stages, though Benfica and PSG sit four points clear of Juventus and Maccabi Haifa at the Group H summit.
PSG will aim to secure qualification with two games left to play, sitting level on eight points with Roger Schmidt’s side, though Galtier may be concerned after having to withdraw Mbappe in the closing stages.
“He took a nasty tackle, he has a knock. I preferred to make sure to bring on a fresh player,” Galtier added.
“We can regret the penalty we conceded because the action was not dangerous. We lacked verticality in the final third.
“We have played high-intensity matches, obviously that generates tiredness, but fatigue is in everyone, it’s not an excuse.”
The stalemate left Benfica winless in away six Champions League games against French sides (D3 L3), scoring just two goals in these six games, though the Portuguese side deserve credit.
Schmidt’s men are the first team to avoid defeat in both group stage games in the competition against PSG since the Ligue 1 side were twice held by Napoli in the 2018-19 season.
“It makes me proud, of course. The way the players are playing in these difficult games, we never gave up, we always believed in ourselves,” Schmidt told Eleven Sport.
“When you can’t win, you have to take a point. I said it after the first game and I repeat it now. I think it was a fair result, again. Playing two games like this against Paris says a lot about the quality and attitude of the players.”
But Mbappe is reportedly once more seeking an exit, citing his unhappiness that the club broke several promises they made when he signed his new three-year contract in May.
But speaking after the stalemate with the Benfica, striker Ekitike said: “I often talk with Kylian [Mbappe], I know that he is happy to be at the club.”
The Prince of Paris 👑
With his penalty against Benfica, Kylian Mbappé becomes PSG’s all-time top goalscorer in the Champions League 🏆
Ekitike, who turned down a transfer to Newcastle United to move from Reims to PSG, came off the bench to make his Champions League debut against Benfica.
He added: “The Champions League is something magical. Last year I watched it on television so participating in it and having those first minutes is something beautiful.”
And looking forward, Ekitike is excited about a potential partnership with Mbappe and the chance to develop.
“I think it [getting to play with Mbappe] would be not bad at all,” he said.
“I came here as a project over several years where I have to progress. I think I’m in the perfect club for that.”
PSG are joint-top of Group H after four games with Benfica also on eight points. They face Maccabi Haifa next week as they look to secure qualification to the knockout stages.
Kylian Mbappe became Paris Saint-Germain’s leading scorer in European competition but Christophe Galtier’s side were held to a 1-1 draw against Benfica in the Champions League.
Tuesday’s match at the Parc des Princes came on the back of widespread reports Mbappe was unhappy at PSG and would be seeking a January transfer.
PSG’s football advisor Luis Campos emphatically denied those reports before kick-off, and the France international put the speculation to one side to convert a first-half penalty, nosing his side ahead and overtaking Edinson Cavani in the club’s European record books.
Joao Mario equalised with a penalty of his own after the restart, however, with Mbappe seeing a late goal disallowed for offside as both teams missed the chance to secure progression from Group H.
PSG were thankful for a VAR reprieve in the 18th minute, an offside call seeing referee Michael Oliver change his decision to award Benfica a penalty for an Achraf Hakimi handball.
However, there was no doubt over Oliver’s next penalty decision after Antonio Silva clumsily felled Juan Bernat, with Mbappe calmly sending Odysseas Vlachodimos the wrong way for his milestone goal six minutes before half-time.
Mbappe curled just wide in the second half before Marco Verratti brought down Rafa Silva just inside PSG’s area.
The foul was initially missed by Oliver, who swiftly changed his decision after consulting the pitchside monitor, with Joao Mario smashing a finish high into the back of Gianluigi Donnarumma’s net.
Mbappe thought he had struck a late winner, only to be ruled offside from Sergio Ramos’ flick after acrobatically volleying past Vlachodimos.
What does it mean? Sluggish PSG pass up progression chance
While reported disgruntlement continues in the French capital, Galtier has made an impressive start, becoming the first PSG coach since Unai Emery to go unbeaten in his first four Champions League games.
The French champions were looking for a record-equalling sixth straight win in UEFA’s flagship club competition, pre-dating Galtier’s appointment, but a malaise set in in the second half as they squandered their lead.
Their lacklustre performance was particularly surprising, given Juventus’ earlier defeat at Maccabi Haifa meant a win would send them through – Benfica had the same chance, but will gladly take a point back to Lisbon.
Ney hard feelings?
Speculation over Mbappe’s future was reportedly in part due to a breakdown in the relationship between Neymar and the World Cup-winning forward.
While Mbappe will steal the headlines for his historic 31st European goal for PSG, Neymar proved capable of playing the backing role as he created a team-high two chances on a frustrating day for the club.
Rubbish Ramos
Up against his namesake Sergio, Benfica forward Goncalo Ramos failed to leave his mark leading Roger Schmidt’s frontline.
The Portuguese attacker scored a hat-trick against Rio Ave last Saturday but struggled here, winning three of his team-leading 13 duels and missing the target with a presentable second-half header.
Key Opta Facts
– PSG have failed to win either of their games against Benfica this season (D2), the first team they have failed to beat an opponent in a group stage since 2018-19 (D2 vs Napoli).
– Benfica are winless in away Champions League games against French sides (D3 L3), scoring just two goals in these six matches.
– PSG extended the competition record of scoring in consecutive Champions League group stages games – 42 since a 1-0 loss at Real Madrid in November 2015.
– Mbappe has been involved in 23 goals in his last 18 Champions League appearances. He has tallied 57 goal involvements in 57 games in the competition (37 goals, 20 assists).
– Joao Mario has scored in two of his last three Champions League games, having failed to find the net in any of his first 19 appearances in the competition.
What’s next?
PSG return to Ligue 1 action at home to Marseille in Sunday’s Le Classique, while Benfica visit third-tier side Caldas SC in the Taca de Portugal the day before.
Kylian Mbappe has topped the Forbes list for highest-earning footballers – the first time someone other than Lionel Messi or Cristiano Ronaldo has been number one for nine years.
Forbes estimate Paris St-Germain forward Mbappe, 23, will earn $128m (£115.2m) this season.
Mbappe’s PSG team-mate Messi is second on $120m (£108m) and Manchester United forward Ronaldo third on $100m (£90m).
PSG and Brazil striker Neymar will earn an estimated $87m (£78.4m) in 2022-23 and Liverpool forward Salah $53m (£47.7m).
The last player to top the list other than Ronaldo or Messi was former England captain David Beckham in 2013.
Mbappe signed a lucrative new three-year contract with PSG in May, which ended speculation about a summer move to Real Madrid.
The France World Cup winner has lifted 11 trophies at the club, including four Ligue 1 titles, since joining from Monaco initially on loan in 2017.
Erling Haaland, who has scored 19 goals in 12 games for Manchester City since his summer move from Borussia Dortmund, makes his debut in the top 10 at number six.
The Norway striker is one of four Premier League players in the top 10 along with Ronaldo, Salah and Manchester City team-mate Kevin de Bruyne.
Haaland and Mbappe are the only players on the list aged under 30.
Paris Saint-Germain striker Kylian Mbappe has stated that he was acting with the assistance of his France team-mates after prevailing in an image rights dispute with the French Football Federation (FFF).
Mbappe had been involved in a disagreement with the FFF since March, after he refused to show up to a photo shoot organised for the French men’s team.
The striker desired greater control of his image rights to avoid being associated with certain brands, and pledged to continue his refusal to engage in sponsorship activities after meeting up with Les Bleus for their Nations League fixtures this month.
After a meeting of FFF officials, the governing body said it would “work on the outlines of a new agreement” concerning players’ image rights on Tuesday.
Speaking after opening the scoring in a 2-0 win over Austria on Thursday, Mbappe insisted he was not alone in the dispute.
“The squad has always been behind me, maybe you didn’t know it,” he said.
“From the start, it was a team initiative, it’s just that I have no issue with going into the spotlight to fight for my team-mates.
“It doesn’t matter if I get criticised, it won’t change the way I play or live my life. If it can allow the squad to get what it wants, that’s the main thing.”
France will conclude their Nations League group campaign with a trip to Denmark on Sunday, having overtaken Austria in the Group A1 standings following the win over Austria.
The controversy began after Paris Saint-Germain’s 5-2 win against Montpellier on August 13.
During the match, Neymar decided to assume penalty duties following an earlier miss from the spot by Mbappe.
Per reports, Mbappe seemed frustrated with some teammates. The matter allegedly boiled over in the dressing rooms afterwards, requiring Sergio Ramos to step in and keep the peace.
Soon after, Neymar was seen to have liked a tweet that said Mbappe’s new contract with the French giants had him acting like the “owner of PSG”.
But according to Nasser Al-Khelaifi, the media is blowing the matter out of proportion.
“No, no. There’s no problem at all. I think it’s really… I mean, I think it’s you making a problem especially, and the media,” he said.
After the Champions League draw on Thursday where Paris Saint-Germain landed in Group H with Juventus, Benfica and Maccabi Haifa Al-Khelaifi was adamant that any supposed rift between his superstars was being overblown.
Through three games of the Ligue 1 season, Paris Saint-Germain are the only team with three wins, and have done so with 17 goals for, and only three against.
“It’s a good start, it’s just the start,” Al-Khelaifi said. “They need to work harder and there’s a lot of things to work on and to improve, because the season is too long, it’s just the start. We are very happy with the start.”
Paris St-Germain (PSG) thrashed Lille by seven goals to one during their Sunday clash.
Kylian Mbappe paved the way for the numerous goals on his side after he scored the goal during the first minute of the game.
Messi assisted with the first goal for PSG.
Later on, Messiadded a second (27th minute) and Achraf Hakimi hit a third (39th minute) before Neymar scored twice (43rd and 52nd minute).
But nine minutes after the beginning of the second half, Jonathan Bamba made the first goal for Lille.
Mbappe gave his second and final goals during the match in the 67th and 87th minute.
PSG’s biggest victory against Lille, who seized their French crown in 2020-21, means they are top of Ligue 1 after scoring 16 goals in their opening three wins in the defence of their title.
Lille drop to 12th place after this emphatic home defeat.
Kylian Mbappe has been revealed as the cover star for FIFA 23, with the Paris Saint-Germain forward serving as the face of the game for a third successive year. The 28-year-old is still considered to be the leading talent of his generation, and his goals propelled PSG to the Ligue 1 title in the 2021-22 season.
Mbappe was also named as a cover star for the FIFA 23 Ulitmate Edition, but is sharing that honour with Chelsea Women star Sam Kerr – who has become the first female player to appear on the cover of the popular EA Sports game.
The 23-year-old was given the honour once again for FIFA 22 and has now completed a unique hat-trick, one year short of a run enjoyed by his PSG team-mate Lionel Messi while at Barcelona for FIFA 13, 14, 15 and 16.
Manchester United legend Wayne Rooney still holds the record for the most consecutive cover appearances between FIFA 06 to 12.
How did Mbappe perform in 2021-22?
Mbappe recorded 39 goals and 26 assists in all competitions for PSG last season – career-high tallies for the Frenchman as he helped the club win back the Ligue 1 crown from Lille.
When will FIFA 23 be released?
FIFA 22 officially went on sale to the general public on October 21, 2021 – with EA Sports traditionally sticking to a Friday release date in the last week of September.
Should that prove to be the case again this year, FIFA 23 will be released on Friday, September 30, 2021.
Real Madrid president Florentino Perez says Kylian Mbappe “must have changed his dream” after the France striker rejected a move to the Spanish club.
Mbappe, 23,signed a new lucrative three-year contract at Paris St-Germain instead of moving to the La Liga club.
“His dream was to play at Real Madrid,” Perez told El Chiringuito.
“We wanted to do it last August and they didn’t let him leave, he kept saying he wanted to play at Madrid and 15 days before changed the situation.”
According to Spanish football expert Guillem Balague, Mbappe had agreed a financial package with Real months ago for a potential switch to Spain prior to opting to stay with PSG.
Spain’s La Liga reacted angrily to the news, calling the deal “scandalous” and has since filed a complaint to Uefa about what it believes to be Financial Fair Play breaches by PSG and Manchester City.
“This is not the Mbappe I wanted to bring, he is another one, who must have changed his dream,” Perez was quoted as saying in Marca from the interview with El Chiringuito.
“He changes, he is offered other things, he is pressured and he is already another footballer.
“There is no-one at Real Madridabove the club. He is a great player, he can win more than others, but it is a collective sport and we have values and principles that we cannot change.”
Mbappe has not ruled out moving to Real Madrid in the future, saying it is “never over” when asked about joining the Spanish champions.
Perez added: “The Mbappe who was going to come here is not this one. If it is, I prefer him to stay at PSG. I want the one with the dream.”
Real Madrid won La Liga and the Champions League last season with France striker Karim Benzema scoring 44 goals in 46 games.
He is one of the favourites to win the Ballon d’Or and Perez suggested the 34-year-old’s exploits were behind them not signing striker Erling Haaland, who has joined Manchester City.
“We have the best nine in the world and we weren’t going to bring in Haaland to have him on the bench, right?” said Perez.
“We have no interest now other than to build the new team with the youngsters we have and some reinforcement.”
In the interview, Perez also said the formation of a European Super League “is still alive”.
Real Madrid were one of 12 clubs in a proposed European Super League when plans for the competition were announced last year.
All of the sides, except for Juventus, Real Madrid and Barcelona, pulled out after widespread protests from fans, politicians and governing bodies.
Kylian Mbappe, Vinicius Jr and Erling Haaland are the most valuable players in the world, according to research group CIES Football Observatory.
Mbappe, 23, who rejected a move to Real Madrid to stay at Paris St-German, tops the list with an estimated transfer value of 205.6m euros (£175.7m).
Real Madrid’s Brazilian winger Vinicius Jr, who scored the winner in the Champions League final against Liverpool, is second at £158.3m, with Norway’s Manchester City-bound striker Haaland third (£130.4m).
Borussia Dortmund midfielder Jude Bellingham (£114.1m) is the most valuable English player on the list in fifth place, ahead of England team-mate and Manchester City midfielder Phil Foden in sixth (£105.9m).
Premier League clubs dominate the list with 41 representatives in the top 100.
The CIES uses a range of variables including a player’s age, performances, economic value of their club and inflation to work out estimated transfer values.
France striker Mbappe signed a new three-year contact with PSG last month as he chose to stay in Paris rather than move to La Liga and Champions League winners Real Madrid.
The World Cup winner scored 28 goals in Ligue 1 to help PSG win the 2021-22 title.
Haaland, 21, is joining Manchester City from Borussia Dortmund after City activated his 60m euro (£51.2m) release clause. His new City team-mate Ruben Dias is the most valuable defender in ninth (£93.6m).
The Premier League player of the season, Manchester City’s 30-year-old Kevin de Bruyne, is the oldest player in the top 100 (£48.9m) and Barcelona’s 17-year-old Gavi (£49.9m) is the youngest.
Meanwhile, PSG’s Gianluigi Donnarumma, who won the European Championship with Italy, is the most valuable goalkeeper at 41st in the rankings (£62.9m).
This season’s Premier League and Champions League runners-up, Liverpool, are represented in the top 10 by January signing Luis Diaz (£94m).
Barcelona trio Pedri, Frenkie de Jong, who has been linked with Manchester United, and Ferran Torres all feature in the top 10.
England internationals Jadon Sancho (£88.1m), Mason Mount (£85.7m) and Bukayo Saka (£85.6m) are ranked 13th, 14th and 15th respectively.
Darwin Nunez, who has been heavily linked with a move from Benfica, has the highest valuation (£59.9m) for players outside of Europe’s top five leagues.
Top 10 most valuable players in world football (CIES Football Observatory)
This was supposed to be a dream seven days for Real Madrid.
Announce the signing of Kylian Mbappe – arguably the world’s most coveted player – at the start of the week, and win the Champions League at the end of it.
That was the expectation from club president Florentino Perez, who had been ultra confident a deal for the World Cup-winning France forward would be done.
That Mbappe chose to stay at Paris St-Germain has not gone down well. The Madrid press have been apoplectic, to the point that in the early part of this week all coverage was about the non-deal rather than the small matter of Saturday’s final against Liverpool.
The fallout has involved Karim Benzema courting controversy, but may actually end up being good news for some of the Bernabeu club’s key players.
Either way, it has certainly not been the build-up to their bid for a 14th Champions League title that Real Madrid had been expecting.
If Kylian Mbappe sees out his contract at PSG, he will have been at the club for eight years
While Liverpool’s preparations for the Paris final have involved coming to terms with the disappointment of missing out on the Premier League title by a point to Manchester City, the Real Madrid squad have had an entirely different setback to contend with.
There is certainly an element of disappointment coming from within their camp at the failure to sign Mbappe, because many of the group were looking forward to the chance of playing with him, not least because they had been assured his arrival was a done deal.
The Madrid media felt the same, and the main reason for the subsequent furore is that all they had heard recently – or believed – was Perez’s version of events.
According to sources close to the president, everything was agreed. Mbappe had started to look for a property in Madrid, his presentation to the adoring fans was already being organised and Perez had actually said in private meetings and dinners that it was all done.
Perez told everyone the player was counting the days before he came and the rejection over the past eight months of a new contract offer from PSG only served to confirm their beliefs that this was in fact the case.
But Mbappe always said unequivocally that he would make his decision at the end of the season.
Real Madrid told him he had to choose between money and glory, and there has been plenty of talk this week that he opted for money.
Despite what you may have read or heard, in Mbappe’s mind he did not say “no” to Real Madrid, but rather “yes” to PSG and to staying in his native France. That was clear to me when I met him in Paris this week to interview him for BBC Sport.
In the end there was very little to choose between the offers on the table from both clubs, and the player firmly believes he has unfinished business in Paris.
For the 23-year-old, money was of course a factor, but it is also about love – which he has in abundance in Paris – and power, the three things humans crave. The player will now become the focal point of the club and everyone is going to have to adapt to it. And yes, that includes Lionel Messi. Let’s see how that works.
Mbappe is also more than aware of the fact that by the end of his lucrative new contract he will be just 26 and presumably at his absolute peak. Anything can happen then; never say never.
Real Madrid’s current star man, Karim Benzema, is 37 and might not still be at the club when that deal expires. Perhaps that helps explain his bizarre Instagram posting of a picture of Tupac Shakur, with an image in the background of a ‘friend’ of the rapper who supposedly betrayed the artist before his murder in 1996. This was seen as a less-than-subtle signal to highlight Mbappe’s own ‘betrayal’.
The pair are France team-mates, of course, and Mbappe was quick to point out that in his opinion this infantile response had more to do with the powers that be at Real Madrid making mischief than something that had emanated from Benzema himself.
Certainly, Benzema has not been impressed with being embroiled in the saga and it actually took his intervention to change the mood this week.
He effectively pressed the reset button on Tuesday during a Champions League media day, saying the moment was long gone for discussing these minor matters and it was now time to concentrate on the match.
There are two people involved in Saturday’s final who probably won’t exactly be heartbroken at Mbappe’s no-show in Madrid, namely Vinicius Junior and Rodrygo.
Vinicius has played more minutes than any other Real Madrid player this season and has been a standout performer in the Champions League. Rodrygo has been used less regularly, but delivered arguably European football’s moments of the season when he scored twice in the dying moments of their Champions League semi-final against Manchester City to keep the tie alive.
More backing for Vinicius, who incidentally was told as a 16-year-old that the club were looking to him rather than Mbappe as its future, is now inevitable. Suddenly his potential importance to the Spanish champions has grown significantly. Vinicius will probably benefit from not having to look over his shoulder.
New contracts for him and Rodrygo are being negotiated as I write. Neither are ‘an Mbappe’, but Real Madrid now realise this is the coat that they must cut their cloth to. They can no longer compete in the buying of superstars and will have to go down the road of signing prodigiously talented youngsters, like the aforementioned pair and also Eduardo Camavinga, turning them into superstars.
The big question now is where does this whole off-field saga leave Real Madrid and its president?
There is no doubt it is time for a reality check for Perez and the club as a whole. Neither are accustomed to coming off second best in any transfer negotiations, but even they have to accept the timing of these huge deals is now in the hands of the players, because Mbappe’s handling of this situation – letting his contract run down and waiting until the end of the season to announce his decision – has changed the transfer landscape.
Perez is a supremely astute leader with a killer instinct, and previous dealings have shown the footballing world that what he and Real Madrid want, they invariably get.
But not any more.
Real Madrid president Florentino Perez has had questions to answer this week after his confidence that Kylian Mbappe would join the club this summer proved misplaced
The arrival on to the scene of state-linked clubs like Manchester City (Abu Dhabi) and PSG (Qatar) has brought a seismic change to European football. The pecking order has been transformed both on and off the pitch, with the game’s two young superstars deciding to trust their future for the time being at least to these clubs – Erling Haaland to Manchester City and Mbappe to PSG – rather than the likes of Real Madrid and Barcelona.
Real Madrid’s inability to get the Mbappe deal over the line means they have not only lost weight and prestige in the market in the eyes of the watching world, but most importantly they have lost face. That is not a nice feeling for a club that regards itself as the most important in the world.
But with all that said, the disappointment of missing out on Mbappe shouldn’t hide the fact Real Madrid are still very well run, with manageable debt despite rebuilding the stadium, with a squad that is evolving and which will get younger this summer.
And let’s not forget they are one game away from completing a La Liga and Champions League double.
When I spent time with them in Madrid on Tuesday they seemed to have the serenity of serial winners, the calm heads of those used to being in major finals. The players entered the biggest week of the season as if they were walking around a beach in flip flops. It is not arrogance. It is the feeling that, in a way, they have nothing to lose – but with the confidence they have a good chance to win.
Yes, they lack that extra dimension that a Galactico would give them in the commercial world.
But how much do they even need one on the pitch itself? We might find out against Liverpool on Saturday.
Kylian Mbappe says the dream of one day playing for Real Madrid is “never over” despite opting to sign a new contract and stay at Paris St-Germain.
The France striker, 23, rejected a move to the Spanish champions at the weekend to sign a new three-year contract PSG.
However, speaking to BBC Sport’s Guillem Balague on Monday, Mbappe has not ruled out a move to Real later in his career.
“You never know what can happen in the future,” he said.
“I give up to think about the future, I only think about the present and the present is I signed a new contract for three years more at Paris St-Germain.”
Asked if signing the contract meant the Real Madrid dream was over, Mbappe said: “Never over.”
‘To be a great player you have to be honest’
Kylian Mbappe’s new deal keeps him at PSG until 2025
Spain’s La Liga reacted angrily to the news, calling the deal “scandalous”.
Mbappe, regarded as one of the best players in the world, says he spoke to Real Madrid president Florentino Perez directly to inform him of his decision before signing the contract extension at PSG.
“It was last week I made the decision to stay,” he added.
“First of all I spoke to the president of Real Madrid because I have a lot of respect for him and the club. I think it was important to say it personally that I wasn’t going to go.
“To be a great player [you have] to be honest and everything was great and good because we have a good relationship.”
‘I’ve always stayed focused on the pitch’
Speculation about Mbappe’s future gathered pace towards the end of the season although the forward says he never let it distract him from his duty on the pitch.
Mbappe scored 28 goals in Ligue 1 to help PSG win the title.
“I am 100% focused on my game,” he said.
“I didn’t have to follow [the speculation]. During the season I was focused 100% because I had individual goals and collective goals.
“It was important to stay focused on the pitch and make my decision when the season was over.”
‘I want to give pleasure to people’
Kylian Mbappe helped France win the World Cup in 2018
Mbappe, a World Cup winner with France, says he is now looking forward to playing in many more important games for his club and country.
“I have played in amazing games and important games,” he said. “I played in a World Cup and won a World Cup so I am happy and I want to continue this way.
“I always want to give pleasure to people because I was young and in the stadium and I enjoyed the time when I came to watch some players and now it is my turn to give pleasure to people and to be respectful on and off the pitch.
“I try to be an example because I know a lot of young guys watch me all the time and I want to give them the best way to enjoy life, even if it is not as a football player. You have to enjoy and stay focused on the real things of life.”
Staying in France key for Mbappe
Speaking earlier on Monday in a news conference, Mbappe said his decision to remain at PSG was partly based on sentimental reasons and believes there are “more wonderful chapters to write” at the club.
“Leaving my country isn’t the right thing,” he said.
“There is a sentimental aspect to this. It is my country.
“The ongoing project has changed as well. That has made me want to stay here because I don’t think my story is over yet.
“That goes for me collectively and individually. I think there are many more wonderful chapters to write.”
‘We want to win the Champions League’
Kylian Mbappe formed a formidable front three with Neymar and Lionel Messi last season
Mbappe started his career at Monaco before moving to PSG in 2017, initially on loan before joining permanently.
Since being at the club he has won four Ligue 1 titles and three French Cups.
Champions League success has so far eluded PSG but the club’s president Nasser Al-Khelaifi believes that, with Mbappe now staying, European glory can be achieved.
“We want to create more trophies. We have won plenty so far, we want to win many more,” he said.
“We want to win the Champions League. We are headed down the same path with our sporting goals.”
There had been reports PSG offered Mbappe more control over sporting decisions in an effort to convince him to stay.
But the forward said his sole focus and responsibility for the club is what he can do on the pitch.
“I remain a footballer, who is part of a team, and I will not go beyond this role,” added Mbappe.
“Everyone knows that last year I wanted to leave and I was convinced that it was the best choice, but the years go by and things change.”
‘Ligue 1 needs respect as well’
In its response to Mbappe’s decision to stay at PSG, La Liga announced plans to file a complaint to Uefa as well as French and EU authorities.
As well as calling the deal “scandalous”, La Liga president Javier Tebas said it “threatens the economic sustainability of European football”.
But Al-Khelaifi responded: “Maybe it is a good thing if Ligue 1 is doing better than La Liga.
“La Liga isn’t what it was three or four years ago. I have respect for all the clubs, but we need respect as well.
“We have the best player in the world, that’s what matters to us. As for what other people are saying, that is not an issue. I am not listening to that.”
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