Kylian Mbappé tells CNN Sport why he stayed with Paris Saint-Germain
Paris Saint-Germain is one of the few clubs where any of their players can find a place in the team
By Dan King (@dankit)
PSG star Kylian Mbappé has revealed he never considered leaving the French capital, despite what he says is a clear case of age discrimination at Paris St-Germain.
The 20-year-old winger scored twice for PSG in his first two seasons at the club and looked on course for a place in the French team after scoring 13 goals and providing three assists in Ligue 1 last season.
He was, however, left out of the France squad for the Olympic Games in Rio and Mbappé said he was determined to continue playing for PSG.
On Sunday, he produced the performance of a lifetime to help PSG beat Marseille to win the Coupe de France over the weekend and move up to second in the table.
He, however, said on a special edition of CNN Sport’s Super Sunday – a weekly programme which focuses on the state of the football club in the world – the 20-year-old had not given up on his dream of playing for his beloved Les Parisiens.
“Why me, my age? It’s the way I react to criticism. I think if I were a 10-year-old kid, I would have left, maybe. But as I am, it’s not me that makes me stay,” he told CNN Sport.
“The criticism at the end of the day is the same. It’s the manager we have or the manager who comes after who makes the difference.
“It’s also about my form, my progress in the last several months. I’ve come on leaps and bounds. I’ve been scoring in all three of my positions – attack, defence and midfield.”
Mbappé has scored in all three of his positions, but says he has his biggest and most important role in central midfield, where he can provide more help for the team.
“I’m part of the team, I play for the team,” he said. “It’s normal that you can play in a different position in the team.
“No matter where I play I want to do my best. In a position where I can take the initiative, I can create