Kylian Mbappé attacked in fans' banner protest

Six months on from the deal, the Frenchman’s decision to become SM Caen part-owner is starting to attract major criticism from supporters.

Kylian Mbappé is finally starting to look at home with Real Madrid but fans back in France are growing increasingly frustrated with his actions. The Frenchman is part-owner of second division side SM Caen and he was on the receiving end of some critical banners on Friday.

Caen supporters unfurled banners saying “Mbappé, SMC is not your toy”, and “Before shining on the world stage, respect the local figures”.

The messages relate to the decision to sack manager Nicolas Seube, a Caen icon who first joined as a player in 2001. Going on to make 477 league appearances for Caen, Seube joined the coaching staff as assistant to the under-19 team in 2018. He worked his way up the ladder until, in 2023, he was named head coach of the senior team.

Poor results in the first half of the 2024/25 season saw him sacked in December, a decision that has angered the Caen support. As one banner unfurled on Friday reads: “Here, legends are made through work and loyalty”.

Does Kylian Mbappé own Caen?

Although he is not the sole owner of SM Caen, Mbappé has purchased a majority stake in the second tier team. ESPN reports that he is the youngest active player to own a professional team in European soccer.

He is thought to have spent around $15 million to acquire the club, taking a 80% stake. As part of the deal, Mbappé also paid off a proportion of the club’s debt.

Previously the club had been owned by American investment fund Oaktree. In May 2024 Oaktree took control of Italian giants Inter Miami, taking over from Chinese conglomerate Suning.