Kylian Mbappé ‘misses’ playing with ‘special’ Lionel Messi

Kylian Mbappé (25) said that he misses playing with former Paris Saint-Germain Lionel Messi (36). The latter left PSG following the expiry of his contract in the summer, ultimately joining Inter Miami on a free transfer. 

PSG’s squad saw an overhaul in the summer. Messi, who joined from Barcelona in the summer of 2021, was one of the players to leave, as was fellow attacker Neymar, who made a move to the Saudi top-flight. Of the ‘MNM’, Mbappé is the only one to have remained, with new, more youthful elements brought in around him. Bradley Barcola, Gonçalo Ramos, Randal Kolo Muani, Ousmane Dembélé and Kang-in Lee all joined Les Parisiens in the summer. 

Speaking prior to PSG’s 2-0 Trophée des Champions victory over Toulouse FC on Wednesday, Mbappé said that he misses playing with eight-time Ballon d’Or winner Messi. “You’ll always miss no longer playing with Messi,” began Mbappé in an interview with Prime Video Sport. 

The France captain added, “For an attacker like me, who likes to eat up the space, with him, there was always the guarantee that you’d have the ball. It was a luxury that almost only he could afford. Beyond that, playing with Messi – it was special.”

GFFN | Luke Entwistle