There comes a moment when superstar athletes must rise to the occasion and deliver for their team.
Paris St-Germain’s forward Kylian Mbappe, already recognized as one of the world’s premier players, boasting a World Cup victory and five Ligue 1 titles, faces the challenge of helping his hometown club secure the elusive Champions League trophy.
In Tuesday’s match, the 25-year-old scored twice as PSG defeated five-time champions Barcelona 6-4 on aggregate, securing their spot in the semi-finals of Europe’s premier competition, where they will confront Borussia Dortmund.
Mbappe’s first goal came from a penalty, confidently dispatched after Joao Cancelo fouled Ousmane Dembele. Then, in the 89th minute, Mbappe seized an opportunity at the edge of the box. Although his initial attempt was blocked by Marc-Andre ter Stegen, he swiftly capitalized on the rebound, concluding a remarkable performance for PSG.
“I have the dream of winning the Champions League for Paris,” said Mbappe.
“I’m proud to be at PSG since the first day. It’s not because there are good times and bad times that my pride takes a hit. The pride of playing for this club, of representing the club of the capital of my country, it’s something special for me who grew up there.
“To experience an evening like this one as a Parisian, it’s great. We have one more step to go before we reach the final in Wembley, so we need to stay calm.”
The double took Mbappe’s goal tally to eight in 10 Champions League games this season.
“I just think some people seem like they are blessed from above that this is your time and it feels like that for Mbappe,” former Manchester United defender Rio Ferdinand said on TNT Sports.
“For his second goal, that’s not falling to anyone else, but it falls to him because he is that guy.”
Mbappe was kept quiet in the first leg in Paris and did not dazzle in Barcelona until scoring on 61 minutes, but PSG boss Luis Enrique praised his striker for his control in the game.
“He was a leader from start to finish, and when a team senses that a player as important as him is ready to bring everyone with him, you make the most of it,” the Spaniard said.
PSG supporters have long awaited Mbappe to bring them the coveted Champions League trophy they anticipate and desire.
There are even speculations that if he doesn’t accomplish this feat, his tenure in Paris may be viewed as unsuccessful, with rumors of a potential move to Real Madrid this summer.
The pressure on Mbappe is immense.
In the knockout stages of the Champions League, only Cristiano Ronaldo (23 goals in 39 matches) has scored more away goals than Mbappe (15 in 12 matches).
“There is going to be a moment over the two legs [in the semi-final] where Mbappe has got to come to the fore,” said Ferdinand.
“He is in the high-quality category of player.”
So could it finally be Mbappe and PSG’s time?
While PSG is poised to secure a third consecutive Ligue 1 title and has advanced to the semifinals in Europe, Kylian Mbappe’s journey hasn’t been entirely smooth.
This season is expected to be his last with his hometown club, as he prepares for a move to the Spanish powerhouse Real Madrid this summer.
In February, Mbappe informed PSG president Nasser Al-Khelaifi of his decision to depart for Real, where he is set to sign a lucrative five-year contract, earning €15 million (£12.8 million) annually, along with a €150 million (£128 million) signing bonus payable over five years.
Following this announcement, Mbappe has experienced fluctuations in his playing time, being either substituted on or off in five of PSG’s last six league matches. Nonetheless, he has maintained an impressive record, scoring 41 goals in 42 appearances across all competitions.
Qatar Sports Investments, the owners of PSG, have openly expressed their primary objective of securing victory in Europe’s premier competition, despite the club’s nine Ligue 1 titles since the 2011 acquisition. The closest they came to Champions League glory was in 2020 when they reached the final but were defeated by Bayern Munich.
Since then, PSG has faced disappointing exits in the last 16, leading to doubts about the team’s ability to challenge Europe’s elite.
However, Mbappe finds himself just two victories away from a storybook conclusion to his tenure at PSG.