It looked like a video game line-up when PSG teamed Lionel Messi with Neymar and Kylian Mbappe. But it became the past when the 2023 season ended. Both Messi and Neymar left the club, and both were unhappy at the French capital. Come the end of this season, Mbappe will also probably bid PSG adieu. Per the latest reports, the 25-year-old has agreed to join Real Madrid after his PSG contract expires in June. It is a bolt from the blue for the French fans to see their superstar forward fleet vanish in the span of two seasons. But was the star trio clicking on the field? French soccer legend Frank Leboeuf thinks ‘it didn’t work‘.
While PSG boasted domestic success with this trio, they failed to go deep in the coveted UEFA Champions League. Recalling the triumvirate, Lebouef stressed it is difficult to mix the talents of different mega stars.
Frank Leboeuf drops a reality check on PSG’s bygone superstar line-up
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Kylian Mbappe’s potential departure to Real Madrid became a talking point in the latest ESPN FC episode. Subsequently, show host Dan Thomas lamented PSG’s loss of their star trio. Then, Frank Lebouef intervened. “But it didn’t work. I’m sorry. It’s been proven that having stars and mega stars and trying to mix their talents together doesn’t work. Because it is hard to cope with egos and it is hard to cope with the tactics,” said Leboeuf. He said it is plausible for teams to work with one superstar, recalling Lionel Messi’s Barcelona stint and Cristiano Ronaldo‘s Real Madrid tenure. But he pointed out that things have not gone well for PSG while dealing with Mbappe as the sole superstar.
Hence, Lebouef added that the Parisians must look for alternatives at this juncture. PSG has anyhow eyed AC Milan starlet Rafael Leao as a potential replacement for Kylian Mbappe if he switches to the Spanish capital. If the 25-year-old’s much-anticipated move materializes, both he and Madrid might have to tackle the problem of dealing with many mega stars.
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Kylian Mbappe’s move could create a ‘Galactico’ conundrum in Real Madrid
If Kylian Mbappe arrives at the Santiago Bernabeu, he is joining an already star-studded roster. Los Blancos houses the best offensive forces such as Jude Bellingham, Vinicius Jr, and Rodrygo. Thanks to his versatility and goal-scoring prowess, Bellingham is already regarded as Madrid’s generational star signing. In the event of Mbappe’s arrival, Carlo Ancelotti will have to go through the painstaking process of mixing mega stars and their talents.
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Remember, Real Madrid has never had success in Europe when they competed with a Galactico roster. David Beckham, Zinedine Zidane, Ronaldo Nazario, and Roberto Carlos, among others, once lined up for Los Blancos, only to fail severely at the UEFA Champions League. Only time will tell if the unfortunate Galactico history will repeat in the Spanish capital, should the Frenchman join in.
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