(Paris) “Not the Kylian Saint-Germain”: Mbappé expressed his disagreement on Thursday with the use of his image for the renewal campaign for the 2023-2024 season of Paris Saint-Germain, already mired in a sporting crisis.
Late Thursday afternoon, the video, which was to be intended only for Parc des Princes subscribers, was visible on YouTube, where it is displayed as “unlisted” and therefore not available in search results. It had been made unavailable Thursday afternoon before being unavailable again, without modifications.
This video was “not validated by the PSG communication department” before being published, a source familiar with the matter told AFP, adding that explanations had taken place in the afternoon with the entourage of Mbappé.
“PSG is a big club and a big family, but it is definitely not Kylian Saint-Germain,” wrote the Parisian star after seeing the promotional campaign where he is featured.
“At no time was I informed of the content of the interview with my interlocutor,” he added, and “it looked like a basic interview during a club marketing day. I disagree with this posted video.”
The French striker claims that he was never told that this interview would be used for this purpose, knowing that other players were also interviewed that day, his entourage told AFP.
“This is why I fight for individual image rights. PSG is a big club and a big family, but it’s definitely not Kylian Saint-Germain,” the player concluded in a statement.
Mbappé is the only one to speak in the promotional film for the renewal campaign for the 2023-2024 season, which does not feature the other Parisian megastars, Lionel Messi, who could leave the club at the end of his contract in June, nor Neymar, injured.
Promising Parisian “Titis” Warren Zaire-Emery, Ismaël Gharbi and Ilyes Housni as well as Portuguese international Nuno Mendes feature in the clip, along with the stadium gardener.
Filmed, sitting alone in the stands of the Parc des Princes, Mbappé evokes the supporters. “The 12th man is what gives us extra strength to fight our battles,” he said. “To be Parisian is to be proud of what you are, of what you represent […] and never forget where you come from. »
Kylian Mbappé had already taken a stand to defend the individual image rights of internationals in the France team.
In March 2022, he had refused to participate in a photo session with the sponsors of the French team, because he denounced the convention which obliged the selected players to submit to the advertising operations of the FFF. He reiterated his remarks at another rally in September 2022.
At PSG, this is not the first time that the French striker has made media outings against his club. In October, after stressing that he preferred his role in the France team, much freer, than the one he himself calls “pivot” at Paris SG, he had given a small layer of it by writing on Instagram this word -key : “
After two consecutive defeats in Ligue 1 against Rennes and Lyon, PSG, which is only six points ahead of Lens and Marseille, travels to Nice on Saturday.