Kylian Mbappé has given an exclusive interview to Spanish newspaper AS. He revealed that he stayed in direct contact with Real Madrid president Florentino Pérez for ten years before completing his move to the Santiago Bernabéu. The France forward used the interview to discuss his transfer, his relationship with the club, and his ambitions in Madrid.
Kylian Mbappé Speaks on Real Madrid Transfer in AS Interview
Mbappé told AS that nobody had to convince him to join Real Madrid. He insisted the club had always been his primary dream, long before any transfer talks became public. He explained that arriving in Madrid represented a genuine step up. That was true even for a player who had already established himself at the top level in France.
“When I arrived here I already had a certain status, but when you become a Real Madrid player you move to another level, a higher level. I believe that if you want to become part of football history, you have to go through Real Madrid.”
That sense of destiny runs through the wider interview. Mbappé also touched on his individual awards ambitions as a Real Madrid player.
Ten-Year Florentino Pérez Link and Official Interview Details
The most striking detail from the AS interview concerns the decade-long relationship between Mbappé and Pérez. That link predates his official arrival in Madrid by ten years. Mbappé described the Real Madrid president as the man who ultimately delivered the transfer.
“He is the person who brought me here. We stayed in touch throughout the ten years before my arrival. He always showed affection and understanding in every decision I made, whether those decisions were positive or negative for Real Madrid. He always used to tell me that I would one day play for Real Madrid, and here I am, and I am very happy. So I must thank him for everything he has done and continues to do for me. He is the best club president in the world.”
Mbappé’s gratitude towards Pérez underlines how long this pursuit ran behind the scenes. Full details of his conversation with the Spanish newspaper are set out in the AS interview details via Goal.
José Mourinho Coaching Assessment and Squad Impact
Mbappé reserved some of his strongest praise in the interview for head coach José Mourinho. He called him one of the most intelligent people he has encountered in football. He said Mourinho’s reputation as a leader was obvious even before he took charge at the Bernabéu.
“But it is true that it is different with Mourinho. He is one of the most intelligent people I have seen in my life. He is a leader. I knew that before he arrived, but when you see him every day, you realise he is an exceptional person and a legendary coach who left his mark on his era and will continue to do so with us, certainly.”
Mbappé confirmed that Mourinho has not set him a specific numerical goal target this season. He simply asked him to score goals for the team. That instruction appears deliberately simple. It gives Mbappé freedom within the forward combination under Mourinho that the head coach continues to shape at Real Madrid.
FC Real Madrid Timeline and Upcoming Objectives
Mbappé’s comments arrive at a busy point in the Real Madrid calendar. His interview offers rare insight into a transfer that took shape over ten years of private contact with Pérez. The forward’s remarks also come during a period that has included recent club conduct matters keeping the squad in the headlines away from results on the pitch.
Mourinho’s task now is straightforward: build his attack around Mbappé’s finishing without imposing an artificial numerical target. With no specific goal count attached to his role, Mbappé’s focus stays on delivering for Real Madrid in the fixtures ahead. That builds on the foundation he described in his conversation with AS.
The interview gives supporters a clearer picture of how the move finally came together after a decade of contact. It also shows how Mourinho intends to use his most high-profile forward as the season progresses.
