The World Cup winner says his love for his hometown influenced his decision.
Kylian Mbappe has explained why he opted to extend his contract with Paris Saint-Germain rather than move to Real Madrid as people expected.
The French superstar opted to stay at PSG despite having an alleged agreement with Real Madrid in place.
This decision did not go down with many fans, but the World Cup winner has stated that sentimentality and desire to help grow football even further in France influenced his decision.
Ahead of PSG’s final Ligue 1 match, it was confirmed that Mbappe had penned a new deal to stay at PSG until 2025.
Speaking for the first time on Monday since he signed a new deal, Mbappe revealed that touch of home comfort influenced his decision to stay.
“Leaving my country like that, there is this sentimental side,” the forward said.
“The project has changed. The club has changed a lot of things sportingly and I think my story is not over.
“I want to thank [Real Madrid’s supporters], they have always accepted me as one of their own. I understand their disappointment, but I hope they will understand that I am staying in my country. As a Frenchman, I want to help my country and grow the championship.”
Following the announcement of his new deal, some sources suggested Mbappe would wield a significant amount of power at the club, influence transfer decisions, and effectively have directorial control of the team.
However, the forward has debunked such reports, insisting that he’s simply a member of the team.
“I remain a football player,” he added.
“I remain anchored in [the] collective team effort. I remain a football player and I would not go beyond this function [or role].”
