Striker Kylian Mbappe talked about using pressure as motivation to play, how to stay in best shape and his thoughts after Neymar and Messi left PSG in a conversation with GQ magazine.
GQ newspaper started the article in the ‘Must-read’ section with Mbappe’s sharing after he scored in the 8th minute of injury time to help PSG draw 1-1 with Newcastle in the Champions League group stage at the end of November 2023. The French striker was upset with this result but did not show it. ‘Football is a complex sport and you need to quickly forget both positive and negative experiences. You always have to adapt and reinvent yourself,’ Mbappe said.
The 25-year-old man has played more than 400 matches in his career, is a bright star of both PSG and the French national team, was once the most expensive teenage player, and is the youngest person to be on the voting shortlist. Golden Ball. Carrying the hopes and dreams of French football on his shoulders, Mbappe does not consider it a burden but a motivation to compete. He said: ‘I proved that pressure does not negatively affect me. I even said I needed it to play my best. The pressure allows me to maintain the superiority required when playing at the highest level.’ Recently, Mbappe expressed his intention to become a complete player.
The PSG striker said he understands what he must do to stay in the best shape, such as stretching and asking physiotherapists to take more care of him after each match. ‘Much of this invisible work can help me stay in matches and come back easier after any injury,’ Mbappe said. The French superstar added that he clearly draws the line between work and private life. ‘I have a fully equipped gym at home but I prefer to stay at the training center, spending as much time as possible there doing what I have to do no matter how late. The club is for work and home is a space to relax, spend time with family, people I don’t see often.’
Like many colleagues, Mbappe also expressed concern about the high density of matches affecting the physical and mental health of the players.
GQ commented that Mbappe likes to control every aspect of his image and is clever in introducing himself to the world, but one thing that is easy to see is his childlike enthusiasm and obsession with winning. ‘The desire to win, push the limits and do great things is engraved in me. I think the education and guidance I received both on and off the field helped me build myself as both a player and a man. We often tend to forget it but when we play football, we are like children. The level of play changes but the spirit does not. The passion remains unchanged over the years’.
‘I think beyond the technical specifications, to play better you need to broaden your horizons about the sport. I think that’s the most important thing. Playing under 6 or 7 coaches, I learned 6 or 7 ways of doing things. I have developed aspects and gradually matured. The right mindset requires the ability to listen and adapt,’ Mbappe said. The striker born in 1998 explained that he shapes his approach to matches by listening to great athletes he has met such as Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal and Novak Djokovic of tennis.
Mbappe also began to take advantage of bigger opportunities, such as recently captaining the French team. ‘The biggest difference is that before I focused on performance and what I could personally bring to the team. Becoming captain gives me a new and broader perspective. We said goodbye to major champions this year, some of them very important players like Hugo Lloris and Raphael Varane but in the end the team was not affected. That demonstrates real cohesion and adaptability,’ he said.
Mbappe also expressed his thoughts after superstars Neymar and Messi left PSG last summer. ‘Many great names that made football history left Europe last summer and we are entering a new era. It becomes a cyclical part of the sport. At some point it will be my turn to leave. I’m not worried about these changes. I’m simply thinking about continuing my career and following my own path,’ the 2018 world champion confided.
Like many athletes he idolizes, Mbappe also focuses on charity work. In 2020, he founded the Inspired by KM fund to help 98 young people in Paris, encouraging them to participate in cultural events and entertainment activities to expand their minds and seize new opportunities. He said: ‘I was always taught to give back, give and share good fortune. Talent is the key to helping me get to where I am today, but I was also lucky to meet the right people at the right time. Now I’m in a position to pass it on again. I want to help the next generation as best I can’.
