Kylian Mbappé, 25, will officially leave Paris Saint-Germain to join Real Madrid. The forward, who has made a significant impact on French football in his eight-year professional career, announced this decision on Monday, June 3.
“I play to make history, and I’ve always said I wanted to make history in France, in the capital of my country, in my city,” Mbappé declared in March 2023, amid swirling rumors of his potential transfer. In just over eight years, the Bondy native has won seven French league titles (once with AS Monaco and six times with PSG) and set numerous records: top scorer in Ligue 1 for six consecutive seasons, top scorer in PSG history, and top scorer for a French club in the Champions League.
A Loss for PSG, an Opportunity for Mbappé
Many view his departure as a significant loss for French football. However, this move could give Mbappé the chance to win the Champions League with a new club and move closer to the prestigious Ballon d’Or.
PSG’s All-Time Leading Scorer
On March 4, 2023, at just 24 years old, Mbappé cemented his place in PSG history by surpassing Edinson Cavani’s record of 200 goals. Since then, he has added around fifty more goals to his tally, further solidifying his status in the club’s history. Although Zlatan Ibrahimovic has a higher goals-per-match ratio (0.87 versus Mbappé’s 0.83), it was at Monaco that Mbappé made his Ligue 1 debut, scoring his first goal at 17 years and two months old on February 20, 2016, against Troyes.
From Promising Beginnings at Monaco to Stardom at PSG
In the 2016-2017 season, Mbappé ranked among the top five Ligue 1 scorers with 15 goals. The following season, on loan at PSG, he dropped to 13th place with 13 goals in 28 matches. However, once settled at PSG, he became the league’s top scorer for six consecutive years, surpassing Jean-Pierre Papin, the 1991 Ballon d’Or winner, who led the scoring charts for five years.
Champions League Records
Mbappé has also made his mark in the Champions League. On November 2, 2022, by scoring against Juventus Turin, he became the youngest player to reach 40 Champions League goals at 23 years, 10 months, and 13 days, breaking Lionel Messi’s record. At 25, Mbappé already ranks sixth among the all-time top scorers in the French league.
A Player of Many Talents
Mbappé is also the only player in Ligue 1 history to be both the top scorer and top assist provider in a single season (2021-2022). He also holds the record for the fastest goal in Ligue 1, scored in just 8 seconds against Lille on August 21, 2022, tying with Michel Rio (SM Caen, 1992).
By joining Real Madrid, Mbappé embarks on a new chapter in his career, full of promise and challenges, with the ambition to continue making football history.