Has Kylian Mbappe's PSG contract caused an attitude problem?
FT Desk
- Updated: 14 Aug 2022 10:51 BST
- 3 min read
Kylian Mbappe was offered a bumper contract to shun Real Madrid and stay at PSG this summer, but his actions on and off the field since should be cause for concern.
Mbappe was expected to be Real's latest Galactico before doing an about turn and extending his Paris Saint-Germain contract in May, but at what cost? PSG are paying Mbappe €250m over three years, whilst reportedly giving him a say in how the club is run.
After 172 goals and 88 assists in 218 games in all competitions since swapping Monaco for PSG in 2017, the clamour to keep Mbappe was understandable, and, to a degree, he can be forgiven for starting to believe his own hype.
But his recent quotes about this year's Ballon d'Or - for which Mbappe's France teammate Karim Benzema is the runaway favourite - raised some concerns.
— ً (@rgomesrodri2) August 13, 2022
"I want to win the Ballon d'Or very soon," he told France Football. "Like many do. Except that there are perhaps not many who dare to admit it. I'm still convinced that the hardest thing is to win the first one.
"I think my period between 18 and 21 allowed be to cement my place in the top 10. I wasn't an impactful enough player. For the last two years I've reached a new level, I'm more assertive on the pitch and am doing better in decisive matches. I short, I'm a more credible and serious candidate."
PSG entitled to expect better
Credible and serious? Tell that to your teammates after Saturday's performance! Mbappe may have scored the fourth of five goals as PSG thrashed Montpellier 5-2, but it was an otherwise abject individual display.
The French World Cup winner missed a penalty early on, but he seems to simply give up when Paris had a gilt-edged chance to make it 3-0 just before the break.
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Vitinha had the chance to pass left to Mbappe or right to Lionel Messi, chose Messi, and Mbappe just stopped. Achraf Hakimi's subsequent drive across goal would have been a simple tap-in for Mbappe if he had kept going.
Mbappe and Neymar have previously clashed at the Parc des Princes, with Mbappe reportedly disagreeing with Messi about what the Brazilian's future role at the club should be.
Neymar has kept quiet on the matter, instead putting his head down and plundering five goals and three assists from just three competitive games this season. Mbappe should take note.
