Kylian Mbappé Reflects on His Decade-Long Journey to Real Madrid
Kylian Mbappé says his move to Real Madrid was a decade in the making – and guided quietly, consistently, by one man: Florentino Pérez.
In a candid interview with AS, the French star lifted the lid on the long courtship that finally ended at the Santiago Bernabéu, revealing that Madrid’s president kept a direct line open to him for ten years.
“He’s the one who brought me here. We’ve stayed in touch for ten years before I arrived,” Mbappé said. “He always showed affection and understanding in the context of every decision made, both positive and negative for Real Madrid. He always told me that one day I would play for Real Madrid, and here I am, and very happy.”
The quote has ricocheted around social media, where Mbappé has been repeatedly cited as saying he had been “in contact with Pérez since 10 years before joining Real Madrid.” It underlines how personal this transfer was, even for a club used to blockbuster arrivals.
A decade-long pursuit
Pérez’s influence, Mbappé made clear, was significant. The Madrid president didn’t just appear when a deal was close; he stayed present through the twists of the forward’s career, including the moments when a move to Spain fell apart.
Yet Mbappé insists this was never a case of needing to be persuaded. For him, the badge did most of the talking.
“To be honest, nothing and no one has to convince you to come to Real Madrid,” the World Cup winner said. As a boy, he had posters of Madrid legends on his bedroom wall. The move, he suggested, felt less like a negotiation and more like inevitability.
“In my history with Madrid, I wanted to come, but it wasn’t possible, and ultimately, in football, there are moments and decisions that are beyond your control. In football, timing is key, and you have to wait for everything to be right before you can go.”
The timing finally aligned this summer. Previous attempts had left their mark, and Mbappé did not hide that.
“Of course, there’s disappointment, but a footballer’s life is about looking forward, not back,” he said, reflecting on the failed moves that preceded his eventual arrival.
No sales pitch required
Despite the central role of Pérez, Mbappé underlined that even the most powerful figure in Spanish football did not need to “sell” Real Madrid to him.
“No one had to convince me to come to Real Madrid, not even Pérez, as big a club as he is. It was obvious,” he said.
Then came the line that will resonate with Madridistas for years.
“If you want to be part of football history, one day you have to play for Real Madrid.”
For Mbappé, the move is framed as a step into that history, not just a change of employer. The club’s prestige, he suggested, stands on its own, beyond any project presentation or sporting director pitch.
A new life in Madrid
Since landing in Spain, Mbappé has settled quickly into life at Valdebebas and the rhythm of the capital. The shift from France, he admitted, has brought a different kind of calm, even as the spotlight has intensified.
“I expected the best club in the world, to receive a lot of excitement from Madridistas all over the world,” he said. “When I arrived here I already had a status, but when you are a Real Madrid player you move to another level, to a higher level.”
That elevation is exactly what he was looking for.
“I think that if you want to belong to the history of football, you have to go through Real Madrid.”
For a player who has already won a World Cup and carried the expectations of a nation, the message is clear: the next chapters of his story, and perhaps his legacy, will be written in white.
