5 reasons why Kylian Mbappe should leave Paris Saint-Germain
Kylian Mbappe, 22, is the modern-day example of the term “early bloomer.” He made his senior team debut in December 2015, for Monaco. A year later, he registered his first hat-trick for the club, eventually playing a starring role as the team went on to beat Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) in the Ligue 1 title race.
In 2018, he featured in his first-ever World Cup for France and helped them to a historic win, becoming the Best Young Player of the Tournament. He bagged the last three Golden Boots in Ligue 1 and is starting to become a serious contender for the Ballon d’Or.
Despite the honors he has accumulated so far, many believe Mbappe needs to move away from PSG to take the next step and stand on the same podium as Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo. Real Madrid seem to be the Frenchman’s preferred destination, but nothing has been written in stone yet.
We will take a short stroll down Mbappe’s fine career at PSG today and give you five reasons why he should look to move away from the French capital sooner rather than later.
#5 To experience a different culture of football
Following their comfortable win in the 2018 World Cup, France has established itself as a booming footballing powerhouse. The national team arguably have the strongest line-up amongst its competitors. They also have a proven track record of doing well in big tournaments, meaning it would be unfair to thrash France’s footballing culture.
Kylian Mbappe has only played in France so far and is familiar with the surroundings. However, to excel as a top individual, it is often important to go beyond one's comfort zone. Even Lionel Messi, who has only played in La Liga so far, has had to adapt to Argentina’s brand of football while playing international matches.
Moving to a different league will be a step in the right direction for the PSG forward, and could propel Mbappe to greater heights in his career.
#4 To play in a more competitive league
Yes, France’s Ligue 1 was won by Lille last year. But that should not take anything away from the domination Paris Saint-Germain have demonstrated over the last decade. Thanks to an unlimited influx of top talents, PSG cruised their way to seven Ligue 1 trophies in the last decade, with Montpellier, Monaco and Lyon winning the remaining three titles.
Mbappe was part of that excellent Monaco team that beat Paris Saint-Germain in 2016-17, and arguably it has been his most impactful season yet. Moving to either La Liga or the English Premier League would allow Mbappe to be in a more competitive space. Being in the presence of other capable opponents could push Mbappe to up his game and unlock his true potential.