Despite his contract extension last summer, 24-year-old Paris Saint-Germain forward Kylian Mbappé reportedly refused to pose with the jersey bearing the “2025” emblem… which he eventually had to display to the public.
The image went viral worldwide. Mbappé posing with the PSG jersey featuring the “2025” mark. The frozen smile. This image dates back to May 2022 when Mbappé surprised the world by snubbing Real Madrid and extending his stay at PSG.
According to Le Parisien, Mbappé had resisted the idea of wearing a jersey with the “2025” year printed on it in 2022, but the club insisted that he do so.
“The night before, on Friday evening at 11 p.m., on the rooftop of Parc des Princes, he discovers the image chosen to announce to the world the news: a jersey emblazoned with four numbers: 2025. Kylian Mbappé hesitates, his entourage expresses disagreement. According to our information, the player then asked to appear with a jersey bearing ‘2024,’ which was refused by the club’s management,” Le Parisien reports.
“Aware of the stakes and the image conveyed, the future captain of the French national team warned about the confusion caused by the end of his contract with the club, but PSG’s marketing department wouldn’t budge,” Le Parisien concludes.