Real Madrid star Kylian Mbappe down on football – ‘The more money you have, the more problems you have’ | OneFootball

Real Madrid superstar Kylian Mbappe has made it clear the life of a top athlete, and indeed one of the most recognisable celebrities in the world, is not all roses. The French forward explained that he was ‘disgusted’ by the game and all of the things that happen behind the scenes.

Mbappe is no stranger to pressure and politics, having been at the centre of a tug of war between Paris Saint-Germain and Real Madrid for a number of years. During that time, French Prime Minister Emmanuel Macron allegedly even advised him to remain in Ligue 1.

‘If I didn’t have the passion, football would’ve disgusted me’

Speaking at length in an interview with L’Equipe, as covered by ESPN, Mbappe admitted that he was not exactly enamoured with a number of aspects of the game.

“I’m fatalistic about the world of football. But not about life. Life is beautiful. Football is what it is. I like to say that people who go to the stadium are lucky to ‘just’ come and watch a show, and not know what’s going on behind the scenes. Honestly, if I didn’t have this passion, the world of football would have disgusted me a long time ago.”

Image via AFP7 vía Europa

Mbappe: ‘More money can be a problem’

“The more money you have, the more problems you have,” Mbappe explained. The French forward is currently involved in a lengthy legal case in which he is claiming that PSG owe him €55m in unpaid wages for the final three months of the season. It follows on from an acrimonious split the hierarchy at the Parc des Princes.

“I would never advise my child to get involved in football,” he sentenced.

‘International tournaments take their toll’ – Mbappe

Many see the international game as something of a haven from the ills of the modern game, protected from the transfer market and some of the business interests, albeit this is not always the case. Mbappe explained that it can take its toll on the players though.

Image via Marca

“During international competitions, at some point, [you] always [feel fed up]. You’re locked up for around 60 days. When it’s the World Cup, nothing else matters… Between the semi-final and the final, the world stops. You think to yourself: this is the biggest game of my life, but I can’t wait for it to be over so we can know the result and move on.”

“But being tired doesn’t mean you don’t love what you do. I’m still crazy about it. I dream about the World Cup final on the 11th of July.”

Last season there was plenty of speculation about the headspace that Mbappe was occupying, following a slow start to his Real Madrid career. The 26-year-old is looking much more himself these days, but hearing the above from Mbappe, who joined after that separation from PSG and an unsuccessful Euros with France, it is not hard to imagine that the summer took its toll on him.