France forward Kylian Mbappe revealed that “things and people made me unhappy” during his final year at Paris St-Germain.
Mbappe, 25, will join Real Madrid on a five-year deal when his Paris St-Germain contract expires on 30 June.
PSG’s all-time leading goalscorer declined a one-year contract extension last August, resulting in a stand-off that led to him training away from the first team.
“At PSG I wasn’t unhappy, that would be biting the hand that feeds you, and spitting in the face of all the people who defended me, but things and people made me unhappy,” said Mbappe on Tuesday.
“But there are things that you can’t show because I was a leader and you don’t follow someone who drags their sadness around.”
Mbappe said PSG boss Luis Enrique and adviser Luis Campos “saved me”.
“Without them I would never have set foot on the field again,” he added on the eve of France’s friendly with Luxembourg in Metz.
“I’m more proud of that season when I know everything I had to go through to play.
“It was lower in my standards but just playing, repeating matches and winning trophies was my greatest pride. But next year, I won’t be satisfied with a season like that.”
Mbappe helped PSG win six Ligue 1 titles but he is looking forward to a fresh start at newly-crowned Champions League winners Real Madrid.
“It’s a huge pleasure and a dream come true,” he added.
“It’s the club where I always dreamed of being. I’m going there with a lot of excitement and a lot of humility.”