The Frenchman left his hometown club to win the Champions League, but the Parisiens immediately went and won a first European Cup without him
Just over a month ago, Kylian Mbappe baulked at the idea that Real Madrid's 2024-25 campaign could not be construed as anything but a failure. "We won two titles – that's not failure," the forward insisted, attaching far more importance than most people to the UEFA Super Cup and the Intercontinental Cup.
However, Mbappe also pointed out that Madrid's season wasn't yet over. The 2025 Club World Cup was just about to start. "And that's a big one," Mbappe added.
Again, the sporting value of Gianni Infantino's pet project remains the subject of much debate within the football world, but there's no denying that the tournament is of great significance to Madrid – and even more so after they were pitted against Paris Saint-Germain in the semi-finals. Indeed, Wednesday's meeting in New Jersey feels like an opportunity for Mbappe and his current club to lay down an early marker for next season that both simply have to take…
Getty Images Sport'Mission' accomplished without him
Credit to Mbappe, he reacted with real magnanimity to PSG's Champions League triumph. While others were mocking the forward over the timing of his move to Madrid, he was congratulating his former side on their historic achievement.
"The big day has finally arrived," Mbappe wrote on Instagram immediately after PSG's 5-0 win over Inter at the Allianz Arena on May 31. Nonetheless, much was always going to be made of the fact that his departure played a pivotal part in PSG reaching the Promised Land.
Mbappe had made it his "mission" to help his hometown club win a first European Cup. It was the main reason why the boy from Bondy returned to Paris from Monaco in the summer of 2017. However, for all his goals and assists during his seven-year stint at Parc des Princes, Mbappe and PSG never managed to realise their shared dream, instead suffering one devastating defeat after another in the Champions League knockout stage.
In fact, long before his exit, it had become painfully clear that Mbappe was proving more of a hindrance than a help to PSG's grand plan.
AdvertisementAFP'Great player, but not a leader'
Christophe Dugarry had first flagged Mbappe's potentially problematic behaviour all the way back in 2019, while former PSG sporting director Leonardo warned two years ago that "the time has come for Kylian to go", pointing out that plenty of other clubs had proven that it was possible to win the Champions League without him.
"With his behaviour over the last two years, Mbappe is showing that he's not yet a player capable of really guiding a team," the Brazilian argued in an interview with . "He's a great player, not a leader. It's hard to build a team around him."
Crucially, Luis Enrique concurred. The Spaniard never once blamed Mbappe for PSG's shortcomings in Europe and insisted all along that he was said to see such a popular player depart. However, the coach was also steadfast in his belief that his side didn't need the club's all-time leading goal-scorer to lift trophy Qatari Sports Investments (QSI) craved above all others – and he was right.
With a long overdue shift in recruitment strategy led by Leonardo's successor, Luis Campos, PSG stopped signing superstars and instead began investing their money in promising young players, such as Desire Doue and Joao Neves. The new transfer policy paid off spectacularly – and immediately – with PSG completing a treble with a record-breaking rout of Inter in Munich.
Watch every FIFA Club World Cup game free on DAZNStream nowGetty Images SportPlan to conquer the world
Of course, PSG are now perfectly primed to turn that glorious treble into an unprecedented quadruple – and doing so would only strengthen the suspicion that a club once considered football's biggest 'bottlers' are about to embark on an era of sustained success.
"We are ambitious," Luis Enrique said after watching his side dominate and dismantle Inter. "We are going to continue to conquer the football world."
They've certainly got every chance of doing so. As well as being able to rely on the enormous financial support of the state of Qatar, which enabled them to add Khvicha Kvaratskhelia to an already stellar attack during the January transfer window, PSG also had had the youngest squad in the last 16 of last season's Champions League, with an average age of 23.6.
Consequently, there's every chance that Luis Enrique's wonderfully balanced side is only going to get better in the coming months and years – which is a terrifying thought for not only Madrid, but also Mbappe.
Getty'Fate wanted PSG to win it without me'
It was put to Mbappe during a press conference on June 7 that he'd left PSG too soon. "No," he replied, "my story was over, it had to end. There was no bitterness, I'd reached the end of my tether. I gave everything I had. But fate wanted them to win it without me."
"I was happy [for them], they deserved it," he added. "They've been through so many problems, and I've been through that too. I've been through every stage of the Champions League except winning it. But PSG winning the Champions League without me doesn't affect me. It's a good thing. I think we all face challenges in our careers." And this is undoubtedly the most difficult period of Mbappe's.
