Kylian Mbappé arrived Thursday July 6 in Cameroon, the country of origin of his father, Wilfrid Mbappé. As soon as he got out of the private jet that took him from the United States to Yaoundé, the captain of the French football team was greeted by a joyful public. Airport staff, men, women, dance groups, family members… shouting his name loudly, everyone wanting to touch him or take a selfie with him.
Smiling, the 24-year-old approached them, greeting them. The police and their bodyguards struggled to extract him from the crowd. His procession then moved to a school which welcomes children with hearing impairments and which has received funding from the foundation of the Paris-Saint-Germain (PSG) striker. The 2018 world champion shared a game of football with children who were visibly happy with his visit.
Far from the hustle and bustle of Paris, Kylian Mbappé will spend three days on Cameroonian soil, staying at Village Noah, the hotel complex of former tennis player Yannick Noah. On Friday, his program includes a meeting with the Prime Minister. On Saturday, he will travel to Douala to visit another school funded by his foundation, before heading to the island of Djébalè, where his father is from. “Because here it is, the normal circuit of life is that we start from the roots to the fruit, and a fruit that falls, it will always germinate through the roots,” explained Philippe Mbappé, his grand- father, to journalists.
“I can’t stand still”
For many Cameroonians, the arrival of the sportsman is a “recognition for the country of his ancestors”. “Even though he plays for France, he has half Cameroonian blood in his body. Coming to the land of one’s ancestors is always a blessing. He came to receive the blessing of his ancestors, the blessing of his country,” explains Roger Sylvain Tagne, carpenter in Douala. For this FC Barcelona fan, the arrival of the champion will also allow young people to “dream big”. “Mbappé is an extraordinary player and I hope he leaves PSG for good. All the young people I know are inspired by him. He expresses himself well, he has no scandals, he is a model for young people, “says Sonny, an apprentice carpenter.
At Le Vent d’Etoudi, a second division football club in Yaoundé, the players and management have only one objective: to get the maximum advice and motivation from Kylian Mbappé. They will play a gala match with the French prodigy this Friday. Passy Atangana, the club’s midfielder, is looking forward to spending time with this “leader of men” whose matches he watches almost every French league or Champions League. “I can’t stand still,” he says. For him, playing with PSG’s top scorer is an “offering”, but also the opportunity to glean some advice for his future career.
“Seeing Mbappé is a dream, and when we say dreaming, they hope that one day they can be like him,” said retired Colonel Benoît Akini, administrator of Le Vent d’Etoudi, who claims to be “very happy and honored” with the visit of Kylian Mbappé. A shared joy. In a video posted on social media, the player can be heard responding to someone asking if this is his first visit to Cameroon: “It’s not the first time, but I’m very happy. »