Kylian Mbappe said European football’s busy schedule was starting to mirror the NBA season, and warned of the effects of basketball-style load management.
In an interview with British GQ magazine, Mbappe said such practices could create a wedge between players, teams and fans attending matches. The France captain played 63 matches in the 2022-23 season with Paris Saint-Germain and the national team.
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“We are approaching the NBA model, with 70-game seasons,” Mbappe said. “Personally, I’m not against playing this many matches, but we won’t be able to be good every time and give the fans the spectacle they expect.
“In the NBA, players don’t play every game and franchises practice load management. But if you say, ‘I’m tired, I’m not going to play on Saturday,’ it’s not going to be good.”
“The viewer paying for their ticket, who may only see you once during the season, wants to see a performance worthy of the name, and that is understandable.
He added: “I don’t want to preach, but we need to think together about how to provide the best possible solution so that players, spectators and football’s governing bodies can embrace it.”
Mbappe also spoke of his admiration for LeBron James’ work off the field, after speaking with the Los Angeles Lakers star on a Nike campaign.
“He is much further along in his career than me, and projects outside sport have cemented his status as a sporting legend,” Mbappe said.
“Being able to seek advice from inspiring figures like him provides an opportunity to adjust my plan and create my own approach that is as effective as possible in terms of helping young people today.”
Mbappe has long been linked with a move to Real Madrid. A source close to the 14-time Champions League winners told ESPN that some players on the team believe he will play for them. Los Blancos Next season.
However, the 25-year-old has remained coy about his future, and has not ruled out playing football outside Europe at some point in his career – as has been the case with former Paris Saint-Germain teammates Lionel Messi and Neymar. They now play for Inter Miami football League And Al Hilal in the lucrative Saudi Professional League, respectively.
“Many of the great players who shaped football history left Europe this summer, and we are entering a new era,” Mbappe said.
He added, “It has become part of the cycle of this sport, and at some point it will be my turn to leave. I am not worried about these changes. I am simply thinking of continuing my career and following my own path.”
