In 2022, after weeks of tough negotiations, Kylian Mbappé agreed to stay at Paris Saint-Germain, even as Real Madrid had already prepared for his arrival. The primary reason for his decision was simple: the club promised to transform the situation, building a highly competitive, tailor-made squad to finally win the UEFA Champions League.
Facing internal skepticism that PSG could never win the Champions League with such an unbalanced squad, the club assured Mbappé that he was now the team's centerpiece—and if balance became an issue, they would consider parting ways with Neymar or Lionel Messi.
Initially, changes did occur. Sporting director Leonardo was brought in, followed by Luis Campos, a figure trusted by Mbappé's family from their Monaco days. The Portuguese convinced management to appoint Christophe
Galtier as head coach, aiming to provide the French forward with optimal conditions as the "core of PSG's project." However, the transfer strategy quickly deviated from expectations.
Promising targets Mbappé had hoped for—Robert Lewandowski, Marcus Rashford, Milan Škriniar, among others—were abandoned one by one, either due to financial constraints or lack of mutual interest.
By July, Mbappé felt deeply deceived. Like being doused with cold water, he tossed and turned restlessly, attempting to contact Nasser Al-Khelaifi and even considering contract termination, despite the tens of millions in compensation it would entail.
Meanwhile, the season restarted with PSG in strong form, Neymar and Messi still in the squad and in peak condition. With the Qatar World Cup approaching, fielding three World Cup-winning stars in Doha was an opportunity too significant to miss.
Emerging from his summer disillusionment, Mbappé refocused on the World Cup and had no intention of derailing his European campaign. But something had irreparably broken.
In the summer of 2023, PSG's management finally acted: Messi wasn't renewed, Neymar was pushed out, and a new project launched—younger squad, team-first philosophy, and a tactically rigid coach. But it was too late: Mbappé had made an irrevocable decision. In June, he informed PSG in writing that he would not exercise his contract option. The management was stunned.
Mbappé's final months in Paris were a long, strange journey. Nasser persisted in seeking a renewal, but Mbappé refused. Seven years after joining, his last match at the Parc des Princes (a 1-3 loss to Toulouse on May 12, 2024) came without a formal tribute. Behind the scenes, PSG retaliated by freezing his remaining salary and bonuses. Worse, his brother Ethan suffered collateral damage—despite considering PSG his favorite club (even more than Kylian did), he was not retained.
This conflicted ending hasn't dampened the 2025 Golden Boot winner's affection for PSG—but the sentiment isn't mutual among the club's hierarchy. His relationship with PSG fans was less harmonious, as his demeanor wasn't always understood, yet the club ultimately embraced him wholeheartedly, and he learned to enjoy the love in return.
