Kylian Mbappe expressed his delight at seeing his previous club, Paris St Germain, claim their first Champions League title this season, despite having departed the club under turbulent circumstances last year to join Real Madrid.
Last week, PSG secured a remarkable 5-0 victory over Inter Milan, finally triumphing in Europe’s elite club competition after falling short in the final against Bayern Munich in 2020.
“I was thrilled for them; they truly deserved it. They’ve faced so many challenges, and I can relate to that. I’ve experienced every phase of the Champions League apart from winning it,” Mbappe remarked to journalists on Saturday.
“They were undeniably the finest team in Europe. I can’t recall seeing them lead by 5-0 before. This victory is fully warranted; they’re becoming a team that everyone aspires to defeat.”
Mbappe departed PSG on a free transfer last year as the club’s all-time leading scorer but subsequently initiated legal action against his former club over 55 million euros (approximately $62.67 million) in unpaid wages.
In his first season with Real Madrid, the 26-year-old netted 43 goals across all competitions. However, the team fell short of claiming any major silverware, finishing as runners-up to Barcelona in both LaLiga and the Copa del Rey, and losing to Arsenal in the Champions League quarter-finals.
Despite this, the French forward stated that there are no lingering resentments as he witnessed his former teammates lift the long-coveted trophy.
“PSG won the Champions League without me, and that doesn’t bother me. In fact, it’s a positive. I believe we all encounter challenges throughout our careers,” Mbappe noted.
“I find myself in the spotlight a bit more, which is nice. I’ve always enjoyed being in these situations; it’s up to me to put in the hard work. I’ve overturned many obstacles in my career; I’ve had my share of burdens, and I have successfully shed them.”
“Did I leave too soon? No, my journey had reached its conclusion, and it needed to wrap up. There was no resentment; I had hit my limit.”
Mbappe also indicated that he would choose PSG forward Ousmane Dembele over Barcelona’s Lamine Yamal for the Ballon d’Or as the best player of the year.
Dembele had an impressive season, scoring 33 goals and providing 15 assists across all competitions, contributing significantly to PSG’s treble win that included the Ligue 1 title and the French Cup.
“Would I vote for Dembele? Yes. Is there truly any need for explanation?… My choice is clearly Dembele,” he affirmed.
Compiled by SportArena.com.au.
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