While Messi is praised, Mbappe is loathed

Kylian Mbappe is the epitome of how football has lost grasp on reality. The PSG star's ego is out of control and it would be lunacy for Liverpool to even consider signing him. It's the short clip of Neymar being asked “What's Mbappe like?” which reveals most about the reality of working life with the footballer who never seems satisfied, even now he's been crowned the little emperor of Paris.

The Brazilian is a picture of contentment as he passes through the player/media mixed zone in Le Havre, after playing in his country's friendly win over Ghana last month. But when he's asked about his PSG team-mate the smile suddenly drops. He initially feigns not to hear. “What? Kylian?” he asks when his inquisitors persist. He laughs and leaves.

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Mbappe is the epitome of how football has utterly lost its grasp on reality. When his flirtation with Real Madrid had entered the realms of the surreal last year, it took the intervention of President Emmanuel Macron to help keep him in Paris. “I never imagined to talk with this guy about my new contract,'” he said, without the remotest awareness of his own preposterous hyperbole. 

“It's amazing to talk to the president. To tell these important people. I would have left France as a great player but there is a sentimental part.” And a financial part, too. The small matter of £100million a year plus £20million in endorsements. Yet now, five months later, we find this is not enough. Despite an about-turn which left Real Madrid apoplectic.

Mbappe's departure is coming

News arrived in Madrid and Paris that he wants to leave PSG as soon as possible and regrets that unimaginably lucrative contract extension. It's actually been coming. Mbappe was visibly irritated after PSG's first game of the season, when Neymar refused to let him take a second penalty kick after he'd missed a first in a 5-2 win over Montpellier.