Kylian Mbappé goes up against ‘his’ team in Champions League

Paris Saint-Germain’s French forward continues to be linked with a move to Madrid, but on Wednesday he will feature against another special club for him.

From times long past, almost immemorial, Kylian Mbappé has been consistently linked with Real Madrid during nearly every summer transfer window. Many have ventured to assert that the white-clad team has always been his childhood dream, but there are others, like AC Milan, the opponent of PSG on Wednesday at Parc des Princes, who held a special place in the French international’s heart.

Mbappé and his Milan connection

The forward was born and raised in Bondy, a small town on the outskirts of Paris that has emerged as a breeding ground for young talents with immense potential. In this region, he grew up alongside the Riccardi family, who, as reported by Gazzetta dello Sport, were all avid supporters of Milan. Mbappé absorbed the greatness of the team of that era, unrivalled in the European Cup, and his admiration for the Rossoneri was unwavering.

Antonio, the son of the Riccardi family, revealed to the Italian newspaper that PSG’s all-time top scorer once assured him that he “wanted to finish his career at Milan,” but, as he suggests, “he said it ironically.” In an interview with Gazzetta, the former Monaco youth player confessed his fondness for the Lombard team.

“My connection with AC Milan is special. When I was a child, I had an Italian nanny, and I spent a lot of time with her family, who were all AC Milan fans. So, thanks to them, I also cheered for the Rossoneri and watched many Milan matches,” he added.

The mother of the captain of the French national team, Fayza Lamari, goes further and acknowledges that her son was an unconditional fan of the Italian club.

“When he came home, he only talked about Milan. If they lost, he threw the remote control at the TV and used to utter Italian curses.” In 2023, after ‘The Best’ awards ceremony, Mbappé, in a tongue-in-cheek manner, stated that his next team “would be Milan,” once again making it clear that he has a strong attachment to the club.

Lamari continued.

“He used to wear the Milan shirt during training, and he would even go to sleep with it, but he also had other shirts like Real Madrid, Cristiano Ronaldo, Manchester United...” According to Antonio, Mbappé played with Madrid on the PlayStation because “it was his favorite team,” suggesting that, at least when he was younger, he preferred Los Blancos to the Rossoneri.

However, on Wednesday, when the whistle sounds, Mbappé will set aside his childhood sentiments and strive to be the leader who can bring PSG closer to victory. This match carries great significance for the Parisians, who need to recover from the 4-1 loss to Newcastle in the second group stage match. Any slip-up would be a setback for Luis Enrique’s team, so much of their hopes for victory rest on the shoulders of the captain of the French national team, still widely regarded as one of the best players in the world.