Just like Lionel Messi when he joined Inter Miami in July 2023, Kylian Mbappe left PSG on bad terms as he signed for Real Madrid on a free move.

Kylian Mbappe has addressed the media for the first time since confirming he’ll be leaving PSG for Real Madrid this summer. And just like Lionel Messi did once he joined Inter Miami, the Frenchman took a shot at his former club.

Speaking to reporters on Tuesday ahead of Euro 2024 with France, Mbappe suggested the club’s brass made life difficult for him in his last season at the Parc des Princes.

“PSG told me I will not play violently. Luis Enrique and Campos saved me. This is the truth,” Mbappe said. “Without them I wouldn’t have seen the field again, that’s the truth. And that’s why I’ve always been so thankful to the coach and the sporting director.”

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Mbappe didn’t mention PSG president Nasser Al Khelaifi, but he didn’t need to. With these comments, it’s safe to assume he is not in good terms with the PSG chairman.

Lionel Messi and Kylian Mbappe during the Ligue 1 football (soccer) match between AC Ajaccio (ACA) and Paris Saint Germain (PSG) on May 13, 2023.

However, Mbappe didn’t want to add more fuel to the fire: “It would be a shame if I said I was unhappy at PSG because I now have my new club. But there were people and things that made me unhappy.”

hen Messi also took a jab at PSG after leaving for nothing

Mbappe’s comments against Paris Saint-Germain may remind about Messi’s feelings towards the Ligue 1 side after two complicated years in the French capital. In his first press conference as an Inter Miami player last year, the Argentine star didn’t hide how he really felt about his time in Paris.

“As I said at the time, my departure to Paris was not something I wanted, it was not something I wanted to leave Barcelona and, so to speak, it was from one day to the next. And, well, I also had to get used to a place that was totally different from where I had been living all my life, both in terms of the city and in a sporting sense, and, well, it was difficult, but the opposite of what is happening to me now here [in Miami],” Messi said in August 2023.

Martin O’Donnell is a bilingual sports writer fluent in English and Spanish, with a Bachelor’s degree in Communications. Since joining Bolavip in February 2021, he has extensively covered soccer, NFL, and NBA, specializing in real-time coverage of major events such as the World Cup, UEFA Champions League finals, and the Super Bowl. Martin’s prior experience includes managing social media for the CONMEBOL Libertadores and Sudamericana in English and reporting on Brazilian football for Sambafoot. At Bolavip, he is known for his meticulous coverage during critical sports seasons—covering trades, playoffs, and finals—and for keeping a close eye on soccer icons Lionel Messi at Inter Miami and Cristiano Ronaldo at Al-Nassr. His attention to detail and ability to capture breaking news have made him a valuable asset to the team.