This time, it’s official. After announcing his departure to his management and to Nasser Al-Khelaïfi in mid-February, Kylian Mbappé still had to confirm the news publicly. It’s done. Two days before his last match at the Parc des Princes in Parisian colors, Sunday (9 p.m.), against Toulouse, during the 33rd day of Ligue 1, the 25-year-old French international explains himself in a video relayed on social networks.
The end of an era, seven years after his signing in Paris from AS Monaco, for €180 million. “I always said I was going to speak to you. I wanted to announce to you all that this is my last year at PSG, which I am not going to extend. My adventure will be over in a few weeks,” explained Mbappé, top scorer in the history of the capital club with 255 goals, far ahead of Edinson Cavani (200).
Before continuing: “I will play my last match at the Parc des Princes on Sunday. There are a lot of emotions. I had the chance and the immense honor to be part of the biggest club in France for a long time, one of the best in the world. This club allowed me to arrive here, to have my first experience in a club with a lot of pressure, allowed me to grow as a player by rubbing shoulders with some who were the best in the history of football. To grow as a man too, with all the glory and the mistakes I have made. I would like to thank all my teammates, coaches, Unai Emery, Thomas Tuchel, Mauricio Pochettino, Christophe Galtier and Luis Enrique. The sports directors, Leonardo and Luis Campos for always supporting me.”
“KM” also thanked all the “shadow people” but also “above all the supporters. I know I’m not the most demonstrative player, I haven’t always lived up to all the love you’ve given me over these seven years, but I never wanted to cheat, I I always wanted to be efficient. Note that he shared a meal with members of the Collectif Ultras Paris this Friday, as reported by RMC and various other sources. “I didn’t think it was going to be so hard to announce that, to leave my country, Ligue 1, a championship that I have always known,” he adds. I needed that, a new challenge after seven years.”
Where will he play next season? Kylian Mbappé does not specify this in his video. And for good reason, his future club will play in the Champions League final on June 1, Real Madrid of course. To see if the Spanish club prefers to wait for this date to formalize the signing of “KM”.
“PSG is a club that leaves no one indifferent. You can love it or hate it. I chose to love him. And I did it for seven years. With ups and downs obviously. But at no time do I regret having signed for this prestigious club. It’s a club that I will keep in my memory all my life. I will tell everyone my whole life that I was lucky to play here. And now, I will no longer be a player but I will continue to watch all the matches, of course, because it is a club which will always interest me,” assures Kylian Mbappé, in a solemn tone, smiling but serious. And to conclude: “It was me, with my qualities and my faults. I tried to give the best version of myself during these seven years. (…) Thank you all. Know that you will remain in my heart for life.
In the meantime, the Paris native leaves the Parc des Princes with a boatload of trophies, including six French championship titles (2018, 2019, 2020, 2022, 2023, 2024), three successes in the Coupe de France (2018, 2020, 2021) and two League Cups (2018, 2020), a host of records and an unofficial status as the best player in the club’s history. But no Champions League. It reached the final once, in 2020. This year, it was not far, but Borussia Dortmund blocked the path of Paris-SG, eliminated last Tuesday (0-1 defeat at the Parc) in the semi-final. A double confrontation during which Mbappé did not shine. He will have one last opportunity to lift a trophy on May 25, in Lille, during the Coupe de France final against OL.
