“When you’re big, sometimes you feel small” - Kylian Mbappe breaks silence on r*pe investigation over sexual assault allegations in Sweden
Real Madrid ace Kylian Mbappe has spoken up for the first time on the reports of him being under investigation for sexual assault in Sweden. The Frenchman has endured an intense level of scrutiny on and off the pitch since making the switch from Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) to Los Blancos in the summer.
Keen to be heard for the first time since his transfer, Mbappe held an exclusive interview with Canal+ to shed light on happenings in his life. He was asked about the r*pe allegations which came out in October and revealed that he was surprised to hear it in the media because he had received no such notice. He said (via AS):
“I was surprised. It always surprises me. These are things that happen that you don’t see coming. I didn’t get anything, not a subpoena. I read the same as everyone else. The Swedish government hasn’t said anything. I’m not worried about it. It’s just lack of understanding, because I’ve never felt worried about the noise. I always had the same intention, which is to concentrate on my work and see how it ends. If I am summoned, I will go."
Kylian Mbappe pointed out that he feels calm with respect to the situation and acknowledged the versatility of football fans in making a player feel big or small at different times.
“It wasn’t even an afternoon [on holiday]. I had five days off, I decided to go. I had to go somewhere else, but the coach told me to go somewhere less exposed. Everything is going well, I’m calm. Since I was 14 years old, everyone told me I was going to be big. but when you’re big, sometimes you feel small. The football crowd is very versatile. It’s sometimes good... but sometimes not so good".
Kylian Mbappe's name was mentioned in connection with the sexual assault case in a central Stockholm hotel in October. The Real Madrid man had been in the city for two days as he was not with the France squad for the UEFA Nations League games in October.
While he was not officially named by the prosecutors, media reports emerged shortly after, linking him to the events in Stockholm, which he has denied.
Kylian Mbappe sheds light on reason he almost extended PSG contract
France captain Kylian Mbappe has revealed that he came close to making a U-turn on his decision to leave PSG for Real Madrid over the summer. The 25-year-old completed one of the highest-profile transfers of recent years when he finally realized his dream move of joining Los Blancos.
Kylian Mbappe has now revealed to Canal+ that he had considered extending his stay with the French club because of the situation of his younger brother Ethan. He pointed out that the 17-year-old wanted to stay on at the club but was unhappy with how he had been treated, so he decided to leave as well.
"It could have happened. It's what affected me the most. His 'Real Madrid' was PSG. And indirectly, I took it away from him," Mbappe said.
"He told me that he didn't want to stay, that it wasn't normal for them to do that to me. I told him, 'If you want to stay, I'll renew and we'll stay for a while'. I would have given up my dream of Madrid for him. Ethan is my brother, you can't touch him. What's the point of signing for the best club in the world if you end your brother's career?" he added.
Ethan Mbappe ended up joining Ligue 1 side Lille in the summer and was beginning to show his worth despite his tender years before injuries came for him. He will hope to return to action in time to add to his four appearances for the club and make an impact in the second half of the season.
Kylian Mbappe has struggled for form and consistency since moving to Los Blancos despite scoring 11 goals in 21 appearances. He has won the UEFA Super Cup with Carlo Ancelotti's side and will be keen on more silverware and better performances.