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French Striker 25-year-old Kylian Mbappé, has recently signed a contract with the dominant Spanish team Real Madrid who have won the Champions League twice in the last 3 years. Mbappé's move will result in a pay cut for the forward. In fact, it has caused upset for his current team Paris Saint Germain (PSG) and its fans as well as the French President Emmanuel Macron.
Mbappé was initially approached by Real Madrid in 2022 but the talks were closed possibly due to the intervention of Emmanuel Macron. Mbappé revealed this by saying “He told me: ‘I want you to stay. I don’t want you to leave now. You are so important for the country.’” Through out his presidency, Macron has mantained a keen interest in French football, as seen in the 2022 World Cup when he strode onto the pitch and embraced Mbappé in front of cameras holding the player’s head to his chest. However, the intervention from the French President brings questions to mind as to whether politicians should have a say in the careers of influential individuals.
There are numerous reasons why Macron as well as the club PSG want Mbappé to stay in France. One of the main reasons is the economic benefit of him consistently displaying his skill within the country attracting fans and inspiring the youth. The striker joined PSG in 2017 on a loan from Monaco and then signed in 2018. Since then, jersey sales have increased by 40% and ticket revenue has increased by 67%. These significant changes make him appealing to any club, as popular players attract fans and these fans bring revenue. Additionally, the large influence that Mbappé has over his fans is attractive to the people in power, as if they play their cards right, they can use him to attract FDI from affluent football enthusiasts around the globe. Additionally, Macron has been accused of using Mbappé to distract France’s population from the problems within the country such as the French energy crises. These all give incentives for PSG and Macron to try and persuade the 25-year-old to remain within the country.
Check out this video for a longer conversation on the political and economic forces involved in French football.
However, what is less clear is what are Mbappé’s aims and what he is willing to do to achieve them. Mbappé at PSG is currently earning £61.9 million. At Real Madrid, his rumoured salary will likely be £12.77 million. This is a substantial decrease in salary showing that it is likely that France's golden boy is motivated by more than just financial returns. The footballer’s ambition for recognition in the form of medals and trophies is growing and he is clearly willing to give up his highly lucrative salary in France to achieve this. Spain's Real Madrid is the obvious choice for Kylian Mbappé because of their recent win in the Champions League as well as the Laliga title.
But what does Mbappe think of the politics? After Macron seemingly torpedoed Mbappé’s move to Real Madrid in 2022, he claimed that Macron had no influence over his career decisions. He delivered this strong message after he lost his cool in an interview about his future in League 1. However, many do not believe the French forward especially after 3 June 2024 when Mbappé told the French president about his imminent move to Real Madrid before it was released to the public. It appears that Macron has previously had or continues to have influence over Mbappé, despite what both claim. Mbappé sees the transfer to Real Madrid as a "dream come true" implying that he may have been influenced before by Macron in 2022. Now on the other hand, by signing his 5 year Real Madrid contract he is doing what he wants to do for his career without intervention from the President or being influenced by his current club PSG.
This one player's change in career has caused upset from regular fans all the way up to the French president. It has also given rise to questions concerning the role of politicians in football and their influence.
very interesting and thought provoking !!