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PARIS — Fresh off signing his new contract at Paris Saint-Germain, Kylian Mbappé told CBS Sports exclusively on Monday that he decided to stay in France last week and that his announcement over the weekend was part of the whirlwind which has followed him finally making up his mind in the face of strong interest from Real Madrid.
“My decision was last week,” the 23-year-old French international said. “I was sure of it. Then, the other things came fast. The presentation at Parc des Princes, scoring a hat trick, winning the league and all those things. This week, the press conference with you guys and now I am here.”
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Mbappé scored three times in a 5-0 win over FC Metz as PSG celebrated a record equaling Ligue 1 title last Saturday and Les Parisiens’ No. 7 revealed before kickoff that he had extended his contract until 2025 earlier that day.
The former AS Monaco man’s decision to snub the chance to join Real Madrid has met with fierce criticism in Spain with many suggesting that Los Blancos will forever close the door on the superstar who believes that his choice will ultimately be understood at Santiago Bernabeu.
“I accept, and I understand,” Mbappé told CBS Sports exclusively of the Spanish reaction. “First, I want to thank everybody there in Madrid for showing me a lot of love and affection. Really, I was proud to have my name next to Real Madrid, the club and the fans. I understand that they are disappointed and that is normal. I do not have any reaction; I just understand it. They must understand that I chose to stay in my country because I am French. I am sure that they will understand.”
Mbappé was clear that his decision was not only in PSG’s favor but also that…
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Source : cbssports
