Inside the Messi-Mbappe relationship
Club team-mates at Paris Saint-Germain, the Argentina great and France superstar will put their mutual admiration aside in Monday’s final.
is close to Achraf Hakimi, not least because there is a 12-year age gap, but there is respect and mutual admiration. Neymar, who is 30, is far closer to Messi than Mbappe is and given their history at Barcelona that is no surprise.
Mbappe and Messi are not buddies, but neither is there any hostility. There is a far cooler relationship between Mbappe and Neymar, who were close, with the temperature having dropped further after Mbappe signed his new contract last May. That caused consternation in Spain, where Real Madrid had convinced themselves he was joining them on a free transfer. PSG maintain they were always sure he would stay.
There have been outlandish claims of the level of control Mbappe now has at PSG, but it is fair to state that he is the most influential player at the club – just as he is with France. At the same time PSG are well aware that this, finally, might be his last season with them and having secured him on a new deal, up until 2025, they are prepared to sell if he wants to go and they receive an appropriate offer.
What would that be? One senior
PSG source told Telegraph Sport: ‘‘If people realise how valuable Kylian is today then they will realise how important he is for the club.
‘‘With Kylian it is huge. The value of Kylian? 300-350 million [euros]. They [Madrid] offered more than us and he chose. That’s the biggest statement. He chose here and it was not about money.’’
But it might be next year. PSG are relaxed about that, especially after the crisis in October when Mbappe made it clear he wanted to leave in the January window because, at that time, he felt his relationship with the club had broken down.
Sources close to Mbappe claimed promises made to him had not been kept, primarily the intention to sign a No 9 so that he would not have to play as a central striker. That led to tension with Neymar and sources claimed Mbappe regretted signing his new contract.
It has calmed down since then, with PSG believing it was a cry for help. But if Mbappe wins the World Cup with France, it may convince him to think about his future again.
The situation with Messi is also clear for PSG. They, and sources close to the Argentinian, emphatically reject reports that he will agree a deal to join Inter Miami at the end of this season. It all adds another intriguing layer to Monday’s final. For the Qataris it is a win-win situation, given where the two main personalities play their club football and the exposure the game will receive.
Mbappe and Messi are not buddies, but neither is there any hostility.