File photo of Kylian Mbappe
Credit: Reuters Photo
French soccer superstar Kylian Mbappe confirmed his departure from Paris Saint-Germain after this season, opening the door for his expected move to join Real Madrid.
PSG plays Sunday against Toulouse, Mbappe's last appearance in front of the home crowd, and finishes with a French Cup final May 15 against Lyon.
Mbappe posted his farewell thoughts via Instagram, saying in part that he would not be staying beyond this season.
"Hi everyone, it's Kylian. I wanted to speak to you," Mbappe told fans. "I've always said that I would speak with you when the time comes and so I wanted to announce to you all that it's my last year at Paris Saint-Germain.
"It's a lot of emotions, many years where I had the chance and the great honor to be a member of the biggest French club, one of the best in the world which allowed me to arrive here, to have my first experience in a club with a lot of pressure, to grow as a player of course, by being alongside some of the best in history, some of the greatest champions, to meet a lot of people, to grow as a man as well with all the glory and the mistakes I've made."
Mbappe made sure to mention his belief that PSG remains a formidable club.
"Despite everything that can happen on the outside, all this media hype that surrounds the club sometimes, there are some real club lovers who want to protect it and make it shine, and it's great, and I know that with all these people, this club is in great hands.
"It's hard, and I never thought it would be this difficult to announce that, to leave my country, France, the Ligue 1, a championship I have always known. But I think I needed this, a new challenge, after seven years."
Multiple reports have said Mbappe will land at Real Madrid, a destination that finished a narrow runner-up to PSG in 2017, the last time Mbappe, who was leaving Monaco, made a decision among potential teams.
Mbappe helped France win the 2018 World Cup and returned to record a hat trick in a 2022 World Cup loss to Argentina.
He has amassed a PSG-record 255 goals in 306 matches, taking six Ligue 1 championships along the way.
Mbappe (26 goals this season) is likely to win the Ligue 1 Golden Boot for a sixth consecutive season.