Kylian Mbappé and Real Madrid: Soccer’s never-ending transfer saga

Like it or not, the soccer transfer window has become the busiest, most hectic moment in the sport’s calendar.

With infinite twists and turns, unlimited updates on social media and more money being spent than ever, it’s hard not to be engulfed by the endless stream of rumors. Yet, unusually, there is one transfer story that has consistently dominated global headlines for years.

This, of course, is Kylian Mbappé’s much discussed, potential move from Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) to Real Madrid. And once again, when a transfer was seemingly likely, French football managed to keep hold of its crown jewel – for at least one more year anyway.

The history of a Madrid dalliance

Ever since Mbappé made the move from his first club AS Monaco to PSG, speculation has mounted about the path his career would take, with one club continually circling around the phenom.

The forward has constantly added fuel to this fire, flirting with Los Blancos year after year.

The first time Real Madrid came calling for the boy from Bondy was when the forward was just 13 years old. Word had gotten around to French football icon, Real Madrid legend and, at the time, Los Merengues sporting director Zinedine Zidane about the talented teenager and he was keen to take a closer look.

“My father received a call from someone at Real Madrid, inviting me to come to Spain for a training session over the holiday break,” Mbappé told The Players’ Tribune. “It was a shock because they actually told my father, ‘Zidane would like to see your son.’”

In his comic book, ‘Je m’appelle Kylian,’ Mbappé references this meeting and his dreams of one day playing in the famed white shirt of Real Madrid.

Following this meeting, Mbappé’s relationship with the 14-time European Cup winner was put on hold until talk of a mega money move came into play years later – Mbappé even admitted to asking for a move from PSG to the Spanish capital in 2021.

‘He symbolizes excellence’

The electric attacker’s performances for the French national team and in Paris have only helped to make the interest from Madrid stronger. Despite his tender age, Mbappé is PSG’s all-time record goalscorer with a staggering 219 goals and counting.

While in the French capital, Mbappé has also won five league titles in six years, as well as countless other domestic trophies. Yet after falling at the final hurdle in 2020, a Champions League trophy still eludes the PSG No. 7, a competition Los Blancos have won numerous times in recent years.

More importantly for French fans, his dynamic, dominant play helped lead the national team its second World Cup, starring as France’s standout player at the 2018 World Cup despite being just 19 years old.

While any potential move the 24-year-old makes to Madrid would impact both teams off the pitch, such is the star’s status that discussions even spread to the Élysée Palace and the President of France, Emmanuel Macron.

The France forward was heavily rumored to be setting off to Spain in the summer of 2022 and, seemingly as a last resort, Macron urged France’s biggest star to stay put.

“I never imagined I’m gonna talk with the president about my future in my career, so it’s something crazy, really something crazy,” Mbappé said in an interview with The New York Times. “He told me: ‘I want you to stay. I don’t want you to leave now. You are so important for the country.’”

When asked if Macron’s persuasive pitch had any influence, the PSG star said: “Of course. When the president says that to you, that counts.”

The cultural importance of France’s poster boy can’t be understated.

“I think he’s so significant for two or three key reasons,” explains historian and author Lindsay Sarah Krasnoff to CNN Sport.

“I think, certainly, his on-pitch abilities are peerless and speak for themselves, and that is significant. But it’s also off the pitch in terms of how Mbappé is so significant and symbolic. He symbolizes excellence, right?”

Krasnoff has studied sport in France extensively and her book, “The Making of Les Bleus,” looks at various generations of sport in the country. Her most recent book, “Basketball Empire,” analyzes similar themes on the hardwood.

“Mbappé represents the best ideals and valor of the Fifth Republic and how it likes to see itself as successful, as excelling globally,” Krasnoff explains. “So I think that’s important to understand, right? He embodies the myths of the Republic, even though we know reality can be vastly different.”

She adds that the superstar striker is also the best of France’s sporting ideals – a product of the country’s sporting system and a role model for members of the public.

Aware of his status, Mbappé uses his platform for good and realizes the potential someone in his position has at their disposal – a contrast to French footballers of years gone by like Zinedine Zidane, according to Krasnoff.

The striker even donated his World Cup winnings – reportedly as much as $500,000 – to Premiers de Cordée, a charity that offers sporting opportunities to children who are hospitalized or have disabilities, which is based at the Stade de France.

“The media in France refers to the langue de bois, the wooden tongue of footballers, in press conferences or whatnot. That they’ll say things because they know they’re obligated to, but not necessarily anything of substance – Mbappé breaks that mold,” Krasnoff adds.