He is preparing to play his last match with Paris Saint-Germain (if Luis Enrique does not decide to deprive himself of his services again). His departure having finally been announced, Kylian Mbappé will close an era in the capital. The club will lose its tutelary figure and the top scorer in its history. He has not yet left and the chasm he will leave behind is already palpable. But is he still the greatest player in PSG history?
For most of the former Rouge et Bleu, the question does not even arise. “In terms of level, stats and results, he is the greatest who has played for PSG of all generations, I am not afraid of words”, decided Jérôme Rothen, Parisian from 2004 to 2010 and today a consultant for RMC Sport. Despite belonging to two different generations, Thomas Meunier (2016-2020) and Daniel Bravo (1989-1996) have the same formula, this does not make “no doubt”.
In an interview with The Team in February, Alain Roche (1992-1998) developed: “Sportingly, he will have been the best player in the history of PSG. He has regularity in his performances, is never injured, has such strength in him… As soon as he is criticized, he responds. He has such an influence on the game and on the results that, yes, he is the best.”. Only Javier Pastore (2011-2018) took some precautions on the subject. “In the modern era of PSG, Kylian is undoubtedly the most striking player. Afterwards, it depends on everyone’s tastes”noted the Argentinian, also in The Team.
A more neutral observer because he has never been to PSG, but whose consultant’s words find a very wide echo, Thierry Henry also decided in favor of the Bondy prodigy.
“Some will say it’s George Weah or Mustapha Dahleb, but for me, Kylian Mbappé is the greatest player who played for PSG. It’s not even debatable.”
Thierry Henryat CBS Sports
However, the capital club did not pay special tribute to its number 7 during its last match at the Parc des Princes (3-1 defeat against Toulouse), on May 12. Eight years earlier, he had seen the big picture for Zlatan Ibrahimovic’s farewell, interrupting the match in the 10th minute (the Swede’s number on the pitch) to allow him to enter the pitch with his children. A mask bearing his image was distributed to all spectators at the Parc des Princes.
From the club, Kylian Mbappé was only entitled to a few sober words from Michel Montana, the historic PSG speaker who also said goodbye: “The club would like to thank its number 7 who will leave the club at the end of the season. He wore the PSG jersey for seven years. Kylian, the club thanks you”. The Auteuil stand rolled out a tifo to greet him, which will not, however, make us forget the whistles which were aimed at him before the meeting.
“The supporters are tired of the hubbub around his future. This is what spoils his time in Paris the most. We have almost talked more about his contract than about his exploits on the field. This distorts the feeling of his Parisian adventure. We don’t want to get attached to someone under the constant threat of a planned departure.”analyzes Philippe Goguet, founder of the Culture PSG site, referent on the news of the capital club, and author of Rouge et Bleu: 50 years of history told by its supporters (Marabout, 2020). It is therefore difficult to place him at the top of the hierarchy of legends of the capital club, among undisputed idols like Safet Susic, Rai, Pauleta and even Zlatan Ibrahimovic.
Franceinfo: sport interviewed five Paris Saint-Germain supporters aged 18 to 64. Only the two youngest, whose enthusiasm was born after the takeover of the club by Qatari investors, consider Kylian Mbappé as the best player in the club’s history. “The statistics speak for him, in terms of level and consistency over seven years. I believe that no player stronger than him has played for the club”says Julien, 18 years old, supporter since 2014 and subscriber to the Collectif Ultras Paris. “I think we are being too hard on him. People will realize [qu’il est le meilleur joueur de l’histoire du club] once he’s gone”adds Oscar, 20 years old, a PSG supporter far from the capital.
Between August 2017 and May 2024, Kylian Mbappé scored 256 goals in 307 matches for Parisian colors. He became the first player in history to be crowned top scorer in the French championship six times, and established this record for six consecutive years. On Saturday, if PSG wins against Lyon in the Coupe de France final, he will collect his 15th collective trophy in Red and Blue. Above all, he is the only player in the world to have always appeared in the Top 10 of the Ballon d’Or since 2017 and some, like his future ex-president Nasser Al-Khelaïfi, currently consider him to be “The best player in the world”.
Fred, 64 years old and a regular at Auteuil before the club’s takeover in 2011, does not make it his number 1: “It’s very difficult to answer the question in a binary way. He’s one of the great players, but the one who thrilled me the most was Safet Susic”. “He’s an excellent scorer, but his technical quality is not what thrills you. On the other hand, I saw things that Neymar did on a pitch in Paris that I had never seen in my life”develops Rémi, 25 years old and a supporter since the mid-2000s, who does not fail to highlight his missed meetings in the Champions League, against Manchester United, Bayern Munich and this year against Borussia Dortmund.
“Individual statistics are good. But there is also a reality. Unfortunately, with all the talent he has, he has not taken PSG to the next level whereas he did with “France team I’m not sure that Kylian Mbappé is better than Zlatan Ibrahimovic who propelled PSG into another dimension.”insists Maxime, 29, whose first steps at the Parc des Princes date back to 2002, the year when he had the chance to see with his child’s eyes, Ronaldinho score a double against the Marseille rival.
“He is the player who has been the most successful over time with PSG, but he arrived, unfortunately for him, at a time when winning Ligue 1 is a formality for his team.”
Philippe Goguet, founder of Culture PSGat franceinfo: sport
Rare are the memories of a PSG conquering in a Champions League match and carried by Kylian Mbappé. As such, only his hat-trick at the Camp Nou in the 2021 quarter-finals against Barça and his round of 16 first leg against Real Madrid in 2022 date back. And when his team reached the Champions League final in 2020, Neymar was the undisputed leader on the pitch. “He is missing a major individual achievement, a legendary European campaign, something of which he is the star without being able to be called into question. In terms of purely individual quality, he is inevitably on the podium. Afterwards, was he better individually than Neymar? I’m not sure than Zlatan?develops Philippe Goguet.
Whatever happens at the Pierre-Mauroy stadium on Saturday, whether he plays or not, whether Paris triumphs or falls, Kylian Mbappé will not see his record in the capital be totally upset. In any case, he can leave a last note, ball on foot or microphone in hand. Above all, it is time that will allow observers to define whether or not the Bondy prodigy is the best player in the history of PSG.