"The last case was Vinicius, but there are many others" - PSG superstar Kylian Mbappe sends defiant racism message
Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) talisman Kylian Mbappe has shared his take on recent incidents of racism in football in Spain and across the globe.
Real Madrid winger Vinicius Jr. was the victim of intense racist abuse throughout the entire 2022-23 season. Fans from opponent clubs like Atletico Madrid and Valencia made racist gestures and chants in and out of the stadium against the winger.
In Italy, Inter Milan striker Romelu Lukaku was a victim of such abuse in the stadium.
PSG forward Kylian Mbappe has extended his support to Vinicius and other victims of racism. In an interview with the Ivorian TV channel NCI, the Frenchman urged the players and authorities to take more action to stop racism.
"Players need to do more about racism issues. The last case was Vinicius, but there are many others. It needs to change," Mbappe said.
Kylian Mbappe had put out messages of solidarity after Vinicius and Lukaku's incidents on his Instagram as well.
In support of the Real Madrid winger, he wrote:
"You're not alone. We are with you & we support you @vinijr"
For Lukaku, the PSG forward wrote:
“2023 and still the same problems. But we’re not going to let it keep happening. All against racism.”
There have been multiple cases of racism in football beyond these two as well across the globe last season. While there has been some action from the authorities, it clearly hasn't been enough.
PSG identify potential replacements for Kylian Mbappe
Kylian Mbappe has made it clear that he will not sign the one-year extension in his contract with PSG, which keeps him at the club until 2025. He could then leave the club on a free transfer next year.
The Parisians, however, have insisted that they do not want to let their star player leave for free. They want him to either sign the extension or leave this summer, bringing in a significant transfer fee.
As per BILD, PSG have also identified two options to potentially replace Kylian Mbappe in Marcus Rashford and Randall Kolo Muani.
Rashford, 25, had an excellent season with Manchester United, scoring 30 goals and provided 11 assists in 56 games across competitions. He helped them win the Carabao Cup and reach the FA Cup final.
His contract expires next year and his market value stands at €80 million (via Transfermarkt).
Kolo Muani, meanwhile, scored 23 goals and provided 17 assists in 46 games across competitions for Eintracht Frankfurt. The 24-year-old Frenchman's contract expires in 2027 and he also has a market value of €80 million.