Kylian Mbappe has revealed that he was on the brink of missing the entire 2023/24 season due to his contract dispute with Paris Saint-Germain.
The Frenchman privately informed PSG last summer that he had no intention of extending his contract. With just one year left on his deal, PSG immediately placed him on the transfer market to avoid losing one of the most valuable players in the world for free.
An agreement was eventually reached, with Mbappe compensating PSG, but only after the 25-year-old, who has since joined Real Madrid, was warned that he would spend the entire season on the sidelines if he did not accept the club’s offer of a new contract.
“They conveyed that message to me, it was crystal clear,” Mbappe said during a press conference. “The communication was forceful. I was convinced I wouldn’t play.
“Luis Campos and Luis Enrique came to my rescue. Without them, I wouldn’t have played. I had a good relationship with the coach and the sporting director, which helped.
“I hear all the criticisms, but I believe I am the best person to assess my performances. Given everything, just being able to play was my greatest achievement.”
Despite the tension, Mbappe insisted that he was never unhappy at PSG.
“I was not unhappy at PSG,” he stated. “To say otherwise would disrespect those who supported and defended me. I always felt content at PSG, but there were certain aspects and individuals that caused unhappiness.
“And no one can say I was unhappy because I was a leader in the team, and leaders are not complainers. It’s hard to lead when you’re not leading by example.
“I tried to maintain a positive attitude, and all the coaches, players, and staff at the club were supportive.
“Forgive the harsh language, but it would be ungrateful of me, having joined a new club, to claim I was unhappy at PSG when there are people there who supported me. However, there were factors that led to discontent.
“But in the grand scheme of things, there are worse situations in the world. That’s football. I was always taught not to whine and complain. I am well-compensated compared to many others in the football world. There are people with jobs who earn less than I do, who go to work every day. I have never had to wake up and go to a factory.
“It would be inappropriate for me, Kylian Mbappe, to air grievances publicly when there are far worse things happening in the world. There are more pressing issues, but it wasn’t an enjoyable experience for me either. However, that’s how I was raised; it’s in my character.”
