Mbappe played final with injury
PARIS: France striker Kylian Mbappe has revealed he played the World Cup semi-finals and final with a back injury he hid from his rivals. In an interview with France Football magazine, Mbappe says he displaced three vertebrae in his back during the tournament in Russia three days before France defeated Belgium 1-0 in the semi-finals. France won the World Cup with a 4-2 victory over Croatia in the final.
“It was essential not to alert our opponents, otherwise they could have taken advantage of that and targeted this sensitive area,” said Mbappe, who scored four goals in the tournament including one in the final.
“That’s the reason why with the staff and the players we kept it hidden, even for the final.”
The 19-year-old Mbappe was one of the stars of the tournament and picked up the award for the best young player at the World Cup.
He became the youngest player to score two goals in a World Cup game since Pele in 1958, and also became the first teenager since Pele to score in a World Cup final.
Mbappe, who plays for Paris Saint-germain in the French league, also told the magazine he hopes he can be a contender for the Golden Ball award alongside his PSG teammate Neymar, Cristiano Ronaldo, Luka Modric and Real Madrid defender Raphael Varane.
BOATENG POISED FOR PSG MOVE
BERLIN: Bayern Munich centreback Jerome Boateng could join Paris Saint-germain provided the price is right, the German giants’ chairman Karl-heinz Rummenigge suggested on Wednesday.
“There is no direct contact between the clubs at the moment, but there is contact between the agents, Jerome has two,” Rummenigge said on Bayern’s tour of the USA.
“Now, we have to wait and see if we can find a base at the end of the day to get together and need to find a compensation that is acceptable to both sides,” Rummenigge added.
PSG’S German coach Thomas Tuchel reportedly met with Boateng before the World Cup in May, according to magazine Sport Bild. However, Bayern chairman Uli Hoeness said no formal approach has yet been made. “If there was a concrete offer, I would have been informed.