- Nasima Akter
Kylian Mbappe Swaps Jersey to Pay His Respects
Kylian Mbappe, the Paris Saint-Germain superstar, left fans in awe after exchanging shirts with Ignatius Ganago, a Nantes player who lost his daughter two weeks ago. Although PSG beat Nantes 4-2 in a thrilling encounter, Mbappe's actions off the field were equally remarkable.
A Heart-Touching Exchange
The French striker scored the final goal of the match, which also made him the club’s all-time highest goalscorer, surpassing Edinson Cavani's previous record. Despite the accomplishment, Mbappe still found time to seek out Ganago, who also scored during the game, and swapped shirts with him as a mark of respect.
Ignatius Ganago's five-year-old daughter, Chloe, passed away last month after suffering from an illness. Nantes had shared the tragic news of Ganago's loss on Twitter, saying: "FC Nantes is in mourning. It is with deep sadness that the Football Club of Nantes has learned of the death of our striker's daughter, Ignatius Ganago. We think a lot of you Gana. The Club is with you through this terrible ordeal."
According to Espoirs De Foot, Mbappe and Ganago exchanged shirts in the tunnel after the match and warmly embraced. The gesture demonstrated the camaraderie and sportsmanship that the football community is known for, despite being rivals on the field.
Highlights of the Match
Mbappe's goal was the icing on the cake for PSG, who extended their lead at the top of Ligue 1 by 11 points after the victory over Nantes. Lionel Messi opened the scoring, and an own goal from Jaouen Hadjam followed. However, Ludovic Blas managed to score one back for Nantes, followed by Ganago's equalizer.
Danilo Pereira scored to give PSG the lead before Mbappe's historic 92nd-minute strike. Mbappe has now scored 201 goals in just 247 appearances for PSG.
Mbappe's Post-match Statements and Status
Mbappe, who joined PSG initially on loan from Monaco in 2017 before making the move permanent, spoke after the match about his pride at breaking the club's goalscoring record: "Playing here is a privilege, I've improved as a player, I've changed a lot. Playing at PSG is special for me. If you told me I would score with the captain's armband on to break the record, I wouldn't have believed it."
However, the young forward was quick to emphasize that his personal achievement was only possible thanks to the collective effort of his teammates and coaches, adding: "We're going to Munich to qualify for the next round, we're determined and we've regained confidence."
Outside of achieving a record, rumors suggest that the ongoing speculation of Kylian Mbappe moving to Real Madrid is not dying down.
Although the Frenchman extended his contract with Paris Saint-Germain (PSG), it was only for two years, with the option to extend for one more. Therefore, the future of the World Cup winner with PSG beyond the next few years remains uncertain.
After this victory, PSG will be preparin for the second leg of the Round of 16 in the UEFA Champions League on March 4. They are playing against Bayern Munich. Currently, PSG is second in their group standings and have a high chance of making it far in the Champion's League.
