Kylian Mbappé is experiencing discomfort. It is November, and Mbappé’s Paris Saint-Germain held Newcastle to a stalemate at the Parc des Princes in the Champions League group stage last night. A point was salvaged in stoppage time by Mbappé’s penalty kick, which followed a frustrating performance by the team. Mbappé, however, does not appear to be displeased. He was observed today sporting an informal ensemble consisting of a black T-shirt and a loose-fitting velour in a pastel hue, adorned with a Hublot Big Bang One Click watch that protrudes from the sleeve. “Football is a complicated sport in which both positive and negative experiences are quickly forgotten,” he explains to me. “You must continually reinvent yourself and adapt.”
A few post-match discomforts are to be expected from Mbappé, who has already competed in over 400 games at the pinnacle of men’s soccer at the age of 25. Mbappé, who was only 19, established himself as an adolescent sensation at AS Monaco before going on to win the World Cup with France. In 2017, he was traded to Paris Saint-Germain for €180 million ($215 million), making him the most expensive adolescent athlete of all time and one of the most valuable jewels in an all-star squad that included Neymar and Lionel Messi for two seasons. Already the all-time leading scorer for Paris Saint-Germain, it seems probable that he will attain the same distinction for the French national team at some point. (In the process, he became the youngest player in history to be included on the Ballon d’Or shortlist.)
Mbappé claims to have learned during that time what it takes to maintain optimal physical condition: increasing his pre-match stretching and post-match physiotherapy sessions. “All that largely invisible work makes it possible to string together matches and recover from injuries more easily,” he says, adding that, in contrast to other athletes, he maintains a strict separation between his personal and professional life. “Although I own a fully-equipped personal gym, I prefer to dedicate my time and energy to the training center, where I am willing to endure any necessary obligations, including those that require me to remain late. Additionally, recovery is mental. “Work is the club, and home is a sanctuary where I can spend time with my family, whom I do not see enough of, and where I can be more at ease.”
Mbappé achieves a new turning point this season. Messi departed PSG for Inter Miami and the MLS in July. Neymar relocated to Al-Hilal in Saudi Arabia one month later. Despite the dismantling of one of the most dynamic forward lines in football due to the twin departures, Mbappe states that he is undeterred by the responsibility he now bears and the turmoil in the international game.”We are entering a new era,” Mbappé says. “Many great players who have shaped the history of football have left Europe this summer.””It has become an inescapable aspect of this sport’s cycle that I will eventually be required to depart.”Nothing concerns me about these alterations.Simply put, I am contemplating advancing my career and forging my own path.”
Metz is astute regarding his public persona and prefers to maintain complete control over his image. However, I cannot help but notice that he exudes a juvenile zeal and is fixated on victory throughout our conversation. “I am profoundly imbued with the aspiration to achieve victory, surpass perceptions of what is feasible, and accomplish remarkable feats. “I believe it is because of the guidance and education I received off the field as well as on it, which assisted me in developing as a player and a person,” he says. “We have a tendency to overlook this, but when we play football, we are eternally children. While the strategic difficulty of the game may vary, the underlying mindset remains constant. “The passion remains unwavering over the years.”
Kylian Mbapp on Life After Neymar and Messi and Leading France
Mbappé, who has topped the Ligue 1 scoring records for the past five years (29 goals in 2018 as PSG defeated surprise challenger Lens to win the championship), has recently reaffirmed his desire to develop into a more versatile player. Mbappé’s national team coach explains that he does so by way of explanation. “I am not surprised by this, as he is a competitor and a perfectionist. “In every aspect, he strives for improvement and greater accomplishments,” says France coach Didier Deschamps. For instance, heading was not one of Mbappé’s many strengths at the outset, but Deschamps observes that he has made significant strides in this regard, as evidenced by the 2022 World Cup goal he scored for France against Australia in Qatar. Deschamps states, “Even though the number of goals he has already scored is impressive, he could probably be a little more precise.”
Mbappé trains in a more comprehensive manner. Beyond the technical aspects of improving one’s left foot or mind, he believes that expanding one’s perspective on the sport is the most crucial factor. “Mixed to seven different coaches during my career have exposed me to six to seven distinct approaches to performing my duties.” I enhanced various aspects of my game and continued to develop. “To have the proper frame of mind, one must have the capacity to listen and adapt.” Mbappé explains that his approach to the game was influenced by the counsel of numerous legendary athletes he has met during his travels, including Novak Djokovic, Roger Federer, and Rafael Nadal. (Along with the French handball superstar Nikola Karabatic.) He is beginning to welcome opportunities to assume more significant responsibilities, such as his recent appointment as captain of the French national team.
“A significant distinction from the past is that my complete attention was directed towards my performance and the individual contributions I could make to the team,” Mbappé explains. “Serving as captain affords me an expanded and novel perspective.”
Kylian Mbapp on Life and Leading France Following Messi and Neymar
Mbappé and his companions will travel the brief distance from Paris to Le Havre, Normandy, in four days. Mbappé is eagerly anticipating the two-and-a-half-hour bus ride; he has just purchased a brand-new PlayStation Portal in preparation for it. Will he participate in FC 24? He states, “I am going to load it up,” while laughing.
However, he is granted a few days to rest and prepare for the upcoming contest. The scarcity of these moments of respite is a consequence of the recent escalation in the mandatory match schedule for elite-level footballers. Next season’s Champions League will feature 36 teams, and FIFA’s proposed 2026 World Cup will feature 48 teams (an increase from the current 32). These events are expected to further burden elite players, who are already committed to 30-plus league games, international football, and commercially lucrative pre-season excursions. A report published in June 2023 by the players’ union FIFPRO emphasised that the physical and mental heath of professional players is deteriorating due to the lack of recovery time between games.
