Kylian Mbappé will say goodbye to the Parc des Princes, his home for the last seven years, when Paris Saint-Germain hosts Toulouse in Ligue 1 on Sunday, May 12.
After months of speculation, Mbappé confirmed via an Instagram post on May 10 that he will leave PSG when his contract expires in June, with Real Madrid expected to be his next destination.
The 25-year-old hinted as much in his farewell message.
“I never thought it would be so difficult to leave my country,” he said. “League 1 [is a] Championship that I have always known, but I think I need a new challenge after seven years. It’s difficult and of course there are some people I want to thank most of all: these are the fans.
“I know I’m not the most demonstrative player, I haven’t always lived up to the love you all gave me for seven years, but I never wanted to cheat. I have always wanted to be effective.
“PSG is a club that never leaves anyone indifferent. We can love it or hate it. I made the decision to love it and I did it for seven years, with ups and downs of course, but I have not regretted a single moment since I signed for this prestigious club. It is a club that I will keep in my memory all my life.”
If Friday’s scenes are anything to go by, when Mbappé attended a barbecue at the Parc des Princes organized by the club’s ultras, you can expect an enthusiastic farewell. But the Toulouse game will not be the final touch for him. Below we break down Mbappé’s farewell schedule at PSG.
When is Kylian Mbappé’s last game for PSG? Remaining schedule in Ligue 1, Coupe de France
Toulouse (H) — Sunday, May 12
Mbappé’s goodbye is very much the main event this weekend, as PSG have already clinched their sixth Ligue 1 title in his seven years at the club. Toulouse feels comfortable in the bottom half of the table and has only pride at stake. Mbappe scored in a 1-1 draw at Toulouse earlier this season and has five goals in nine career appearances against Le Tefece.
Nice (A) — Wednesday, May 15
Enrique’s team will travel to Nice in midweek to play their penultimate Ligue 1 game. Francesco Farioli’s men remain in the fight for fourth place and a place in the Champions League qualification. Nice won the first leg 3-2 in Paris this season, although Mbappé scored both of PSG’s goals.
Metz (A) — Sunday, May 19
At the time of his departure announcement, Mbappé had 190 Ligue 1 goals to his name. No team has been punished more mercilessly by him than Metz, against whom he has scored 12 goals in just eight league games. He only has more against Montpellier, but those 13 goals came in 14 games. As a teenager in Monaco, Mbappé scored his first Ligue 1 hat-trick in a 5-0 win over Metz and did the same last season, making this seem like a fitting farewell to France’s top flight.
Lyon (N) — Saturday, May 25
Mbappé will sign the French Cup final against Lyon, PSG’s staunch rival, at the Stade Pierre Mauroy in Lille. He has three championship medals in the competition and 13 goals in 15 career matches against Lyon. The smart thing would be for him to add up both accounts before heading to Madrid.
