Kylian Mbappe almost ended up playing for Liverpool back in 2016, and get this, it was all because his own mother absolutely fell head over heels for Anfield. The now 27-year-old France and Real Madrid superstar revealed he nearly made the move as an 18-year-old playing for Monaco, and he went against his mom’s strongest advice to stay in his hometown. Wild, right?
His Mom Wanted Him on Merseyside, Big Time
Mbappe spilled the tea, saying his mom’s favorite destination was Liverpool and she wanted him there. She was a huge fan of then-Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp, too. “I was close to [joining] Liverpool. The favourite destination for my mum was Liverpool. She wanted me to go there,” he told The Athletic. His mom even went to Liverpool for the “first step” of negotiations, immersing herself in the experience. She checked out the city, the stadium, and met the people. “She was like, ‘it’s a wonderful club, everybody’s so kind, it’s a family club, a big club’,” Mbappe shared. She even watched games alone, soaking in the atmosphere, trying to picture her son on that pitch. “She went to Anfield and fell in love with it,” he added. Can you imagine the pressure a mom like that puts on you?
Klopp Went All Out, Literally Flying in Circles
Jurgen Klopp, who talked about this as a pundit at the 2026 World Cup, confirmed Liverpool pulled out all the stops. They laid on a private jet and food for Mbappe and his whole family. Klopp detailed a flight from Blackpool to Nice, where “the entire Mbappe family boarded a private jet with five rooms or something.” He said, “We really went all out. Then we flew around in a circle, talked with the family, ate good food.” They were trying to keep the talks on the down low, apparently! But despite the massive effort and flying in circles, the meeting was fruitless. “It was fantastic. And then he went to Paris,” Klopp finished.
Mbappe called it a “funny story” looking back. He chose to stay home, saying, “I didn’t listen because I wanted to play in my city, Paris. I didn’t want to leave my country before I was someone.” He felt there was “no better feeling than to show I could be a star in my hometown.” He eventually joined Paris St-Germain on loan, a deal that became permanent for a massive 180 million euros (£165.7 million). He spent seven years there, becoming their record scorer, before making the jump to Real Madrid in 2024. Talk about a sliding doors moment for Liverpool, huh? Imagine what his career could’ve been like if he’d listened to his mom! He is France’s all-time leading goalscorer, so it’s clear his path has worked out just fine, but man, what a story.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by BBC Sport.
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