Mbappé's brother: I don't want to live in the shadow of him, so I left PSG

Ethan Mbappé 's First Press Conference at LOSC

Ethan Mbappé, the first signing of LOSC to appear at a press conference this Thursday, discussed his decision to sign his first professional contract in the north of France. A choice motivated by a project that convinced him.

A Sporting Choice to Make His Own Name

Before the first questions were directed at Ethan Mbappé, Lille's president, Olivier Létang, warned the journalists present in the press room. "He is a boy with whom we need to be patient. He is 17 years old and has come to us to progress. He has all the qualities to succeed, and we are here to support him. He is an interesting boy. Bruno (Génésio) loved Ethan's qualities. He is very happy that he is part of our project." Olivier Létang also requested not to ask any questions about his brother from Real Madrid. With this little "disclaimer" made, the Lille president allowed his player to speak for the first time at a press conference.

Ethan Mbappé first spoke about the reasons that led him to sign with LOSC when he could have stayed at PSG, moved to Real Madrid, or other European clubs. "It was necessary to find the right project. Leaving France at 17 was not a good option for me." A project and a speech from president Létang convinced Kylian's brother, who wants to take a different path from his elder sibling. "It was important to create my own path. At PSG, I was seen as my brother's shadow. By signing with LOSC, I am trying to write my own story."

Marco Verratti is the Perfect Example for Me

For if we always tend to compare footballer siblings, Ethan Mbappé himself reminded us of his position and ambitions on the field, which are very different from Kylian's. "I am more of a box-to-box midfielder in the 8 or 6 position. I like having the ball and breaking lines with passes. I also want to be more aggressive and recover more balls." A desire to progress defensively, notably with the experience of Benjamin André. "He is one of the best in his position in Ligue 1. I will take him as an example and ask him for advice."

While he obviously has posters of his brother in his room, he has another player's poster from whom he draws inspiration. "I have posters of Kylian and Marco Verratti, who is the perfect example for me." Finally, the new LOSC player reassured everyone about his health following his injury against Genk in a pre-season match. "I had a minor sprain, but now it is much better. I will resume team training today," confirmed the 17-year-old midfielder.