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Football

14th Nov 2018

Kylian Mbappé says the amount of money in football is ‘obscene’

PSG forward Kylian Mbappé has said that the amount of money in football is 'obscene' in his view, as he comes from humble beginnings

Reuben Pinder

This, coming from the man who supposedly requested a private jet as part of his contract

Kylian Mbappé has said that the amount of money in football is ‘obscene’ in a recent interview with Swiss television channel RTS.

The Paris Saint-Germain forward was recently alleged to have made an outrageous list of requests during his contract negotiations with PSG by Der Spiegel as part of their Football Leaks revelations.

That list included access to a private jet for 50 hours per year and a pay rise that would see Mbappé earn more than Neymar in the case of the Frenchman winning the Ballon d’Or. The club denied both of these requests.

Mbappé insists, however, that in the current footballing world, which is swirling with dirty cash, “you have to know how to respect the system and stay in your place too.”

“It’s really obscene for me as I come from quite a modest family,” he said.

“It’s true that it’s obscene, but that’s how the market is and how the world of football works.

“I’m not going to revolutionise football.”

The 19-year-old, who has already won a World Cup and two Ligue 1 titles, soon to become three, also said that he wants to be remembered for being his own player, not a clone of another, after comparisons to the likes of Thierry Henry have been made over the course of his rapid rise to stardom.

“I don’t want to be a copy [of any other player],” he said.

“Just like the most experienced [of players], you have to make your own story for yourself and not be a copy of anyone.

“I think it’s natural to have high self-esteem.

“I keep a childish side, being a little immature is not bad, there is so much pressure in football that happiness and having a bit of fun can help a little.”