This time, Kylian Mbappé did not speak. Perhaps he had already said everything in his video posted on his social networks on Friday May 10, in which he formalized his departure from Paris Saint-Germain at the end of the season. Perhaps he simply did not have the opportunity, forced by the capital club which did not pay him a specific tribute, Sunday May 12, on the occasion of his final match at Princes Park.
Whatever the reason, the Parisian striker therefore bid a discreet farewell to the Parisian public, in front of whom he played for the last time during the match against Toulouse, lost by PSG (1-3). It was on the pitch that Mbappé was most expressive, earning a standing ovation from the public alone, thanks to his 27th goal of the season in Ligue 1, scored after just eight minutes of play.
But the confrontation between PSG and Toulouse, devoid of sporting issues, and Mbappé’s last performance at the Parc des Princes, were overshadowed by the organization of the evening by the capital club to celebrate the reception of the Hexagoal , his twelfth French champion title. The “exceptional show” promised and desired by the Parisian management, to celebrate the 50th trophy in the club’s history, kept all its promises despite the evening’s defeat. Nothing to do with the titles celebrated on the sly these last two seasons by Paris.
For Mbappé, however, it was a last one without tears and without being the center of attention of a club determined to turn its “bling-bling” page. “We are going to celebrate the title of champion more than the tribute to Mbappé,” anticipated Hugo, subscriber to the Auteuil stand, before the meeting. Supporters are hesitant about him because his behavior has not been impeccable in recent months. It’s a shame, because he won’t get the tribute he deserves as the player he was for PSG. »
Before the title celebrations and the kick-off of the match, the applause from the Parisian public was aimed at Keylor Navas, the Costa Rican goalkeeper who also announced his departure from PSG. Then to Michel Montana, the official announcer of the Parc des Princes since 1998, who “hangs up not the crampons, but the microphone”.
Whistles, a tifo and a smile
And Mbappé in all this? Initially, the Bondynois was whistled one hour before the start of the match, when the composition of the Parisian team was announced. First divided about him, the Parc des Princes, once full, came together to cheer its attacker a few dozen minutes later, during the second announcement of the composition of the teams.
Before that, Mbappé had left his teammates and shortened his warm-up to go to the foot of the Auteuil stand which had just unfurled a banner: “Child from the Parisian suburbs, you have become a PSG legend. » The Collectif Ultras Paris (CUP) then deployed a giant tifo in his image, while he was still in front of the stand.
Between Mbappé and the Parisian supporters, the story ends on this positive note. “There are people I want to thank above all, it’s the supporters,” Mbappé said in his departure video. I know I’m not the most demonstrative player, I haven’t always lived up to the love you gave me for seven years. »
Top scorer in the club’s history with 256 goals, Mbappé will remain as one of PSG’s greatest players. But in seven seasons, the captain of the French team has never known – or wanted – to maintain the bond that former players of the capital club, such as Rai, David Ginola and even Pedro Miguel Pauleta.
A good communicator, Mbappé still prepared the ground before this meeting against Toulouse: Friday, a few minutes after publishing his video, he went to the CUP end-of-season barbecue to chat with the supporters and give a speech. . With his management, the striker has been much less diplomatic in recent months, which may explain the measured tribute reserved for him on Sunday. Especially since the timing of Mbappé’s announcement left little time for Parisian management to organize one worthy of the name.
Two more matches to play with PSG
Some will argue that PSG knew since February, when the striker expressed his wish to leave the club at the end of the season, that he would play his last match at the Parc des Princes against Toulouse. “The club would like to thank its number 7 who will leave the club at the end of the season. He wore the PSG jersey for seven years. Kylian, the club thanks you,” Michel Montana soberly declared during the trophy presentation.
The relations that have become frosty between Mbappé and his president, Nasser Al-Khelaïfi, have certainly not helped to move things forward. The Qatari leader is thus largely absent among the people Mbappé thanked in his video. For comparison, Al-Khelaïfi was present on the lawn of the Park in September, during the tribute paid to Marco Verratti. The Italian then gave a speech to the CUP.
In 2016, for his last match in Paris, Zlatan Ibrahimovic obtained an unprecedented favor: the match against Nantes was interrupted in the 10th minute – like his jersey number – so that his children could enter the pitch and the public could see him. ovation. We were very far from it, Sunday, for Mbappé’s farewell. All that will remain are the images of the Bondynois all smiles at the foot of the Auteuil stand, in front of his tifo, a touch of emotion on his face.
For his last at the Park, Luis Enrique did not insult him by replacing him after having, in recent months, reduced his playing time to prepare for the future without him. After these 90 minutes with the captain’s armband on his arm against Toulouse, there are two games left to play for Mbappé in the Parisian jersey. Next week, in Nice, for its last Ligue 1 match. Then on May 25, in the final of the Coupe de France in Lille against Olympique Lyonnais. For his farewell to PSG and Ligue 1.
