Kylian Mbappe declares his departure from PSG. As he prepares to take on fresh challenges
Kylian Mbappe declares his departure from PSG. Although Mbappe’s landing location has yet to be made official, it is generally assumed that he will end up at Real Madrid.
After years of ups and downs in what became one of the longest-running transfer sagas in living memory, Kylian Mbappe has finally announced that he is leaving Paris Saint Germain (PSG) this summer. This is the moment that the soccer world has been waiting for. The France international is officially unknown, but it’s commonly assumed that he will reach Santiago Bernabeu in time for the upcoming season after UEFA Euro 2024 and the 2024 Olympic Games in Paris this summer. With Paris Saint-Germain, all that’s left is to compete in the Coupe de France final and earn his last trophy back home.
So where better to begin than by examining the legacy that Mbappe is leaving at Parc des Princes?
With 255 goals and counting, Mbappe leaves PSG as the French champions’ all-time greatest scorer across all club competitions, surpassing former teammate Edinson Cavani (200). The legendary No. 7 is the highest scorer in UEFA competitions (just the Champions League) with 42 goals and holds the record for most goals scored in domestic cups combined with 39 goals. He is also the top scorer in Ligue 1 history for the capital club with 174 goals. Surprisingly, Mbappe is currently ranked third among PSG’s all-time assist leaders across all competitions with 96, with only Angel Di Maria performing better among his colleagues with 22 UEFA assists.
Regarding contemporary statistics, the Bondy-born player has made an astounding 351 decisive plays in Parisian colors, at least 116 more than any other player in the club’s existence. Along with holding several goal-related records, including PSG’s fastest scorer (eight seconds), most goals in a game (five), and two UEFA hat-tricks—a record he shares with Neymar, the only player in club history to cost more than Mbappe’s $194 million acquisition—Mbappe is also ranked in the top ten for all-time appearances and third for UEFA appearances.
Since making his senior debut in late 2015, Mbappe has won seven possible eight domestic championships when you combine his Ligue 1 wins with PSG and Monaco. With 190 Championnat goals, he is currently ranked seventh all-time. The most prominent and active player on the list is Wissam Ben Yedder of ASM, who comes in at number 16 with 160 goals. He will not be around long enough to attempt to crack the top 10 all-time appearance list, but he is just two titles away from the record of nine held by Marquinhos and Marco Verratti together. Mbappe is possibly the best-curated profile ever on the French soccer scene regarding contemporary figureheads and poster boys.
Before formally departing France for Spain, Mbappe will have achieved nearly every international achievement if Les Blues win either the UEFA Euro 2024 or the Olympic Games in Paris this summer. Furthermore, Didier Deschamps appointed him as Hugo Lloris’ replacement after the veteran goalie resigned following Qatar; thus, any victory later this year would come as captain of his nation. Mbappe has already won one of the trophies that many of his competitors for future individual glory may have yet to claim, despite a desire to add a second World Cup starting in 2026. It makes sense that he wants to compete in the Games because the Olympics on home soil present a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity: A few days earlier, Mbappe stated at a Nike event, “My position has not changed.” It’s also a fact that this is not my present. PSG is what I have right now. I’m not thinking much about the Olympics, but my official stance hasn’t changed.”
Credit: CBS Sports
