Kylian Mbappé tells CNN Sport why he stayed with Paris Saint-Germain despite criticism and the pressure of Europe
The 26-year-old joined PSG in 2013, and has become their talisman in almost three years.
They have won seven straight French titles, including two by a landslide last season.
Mbappé left PSG to join Monaco in July, and a day later his contract with the club had expired. He took to social media to thank his fans and said: ‘I will always love Paris and the city I love the most!
‘If you are thinking I’m leaving PSG, remember that this is my decision and I have to do what is best for me.’
Asked what he made of the criticism he had received and the pressure he faced at the start of life at PSG, Mbappé said: ‘I have said before that I want to stay here [at PSG] for a long time.
‘I love the city, the club and the people that I work with. But I had to look at the situation realistically. I just have to think of the future, it’s not the past that I’m worried about.’
Mbappé admits he had to consider the possibility of a transfer away from the Ligue 1 giants, but he added: ‘When you spend this amount of time as a young professional in a club like Paris Saint-Germain, you think of that for a long time.
‘I didn’t want to leave, but it was a decision I had to make for my family and my future, that’s all I wanted. I think it’s the best decision for me and that’s what I did.’
Mbappé, who was born in the Paris suburbs, was speaking in his native language, after being interviewed in French by CNN Sports around the time he signed for PSG.
He says that he has been to ‘all the PSG matches and seen the pitches’.
‘I’ve got used to the PSG pitch, it’s been a nice experience to see the grass grow,’ he said.
‘It’s different from the pitch in Monaco, which is dry and firm. It’s a nice experience to play at that place but
