Mbappé Reveals the Promise Florentino Pérez Kept 10 Years Later

A Story That Started 10 Years Before His Arrival

Kylian Mbappé’s move to Real Madrid became one of soccer’s longest-running transfer sagas, but the relationship between the French superstar and Florentino Pérez actually began long before the negotiations that eventually brought him to the Santiago Bernabéu.

Speaking in an interview with AS, Mbappé revealed that he remained in contact with the Real Madrid president for an entire decade before finally becoming a Madrid player. Their relationship survived even those moments when a transfer appeared impossible.

“He’s the one who brought me here. We stayed in touch for ten years before I arrived,” Mbappé explained. “He always showed affection and understanding in the context of every decision made, both positive and negative for Real Madrid. He always told me that one day I would play for Real Madrid, and here I am, very happy.”

Florentino Never Gave Up on Signing Mbappé

The transfer saga went through several different chapters, including moments when Mbappé’s dream move to Madrid appeared to have been postponed indefinitely. According to the forward, however, Pérez never allowed their relationship to disappear.

Mbappé admitted there was disappointment when circumstances prevented him from joining the club earlier, but he always tried to focus on what came next rather than what had gone wrong.

“In my history with Madrid, I wanted to come, but it wasn’t possible. In football, there are moments and decisions that are beyond your control,” he explained. For Mbappé, everything ultimately came down to patience: “In football, timing is key.”

“No One Has to Convince You to Join Real Madrid”

Despite Florentino’s role throughout the process, Mbappé made it clear that he never needed to be persuaded to wear the famous white shirt. In his eyes, Real Madrid’s history makes any recruitment pitch almost unnecessary.

“To be honest, nothing and no one has to convince you to come to Real Madrid,” the Frenchman said. “No one had to convince me, not even Pérez. It was obvious.”

Mbappé went even further when explaining what the club represents to him and its place within soccer history: “If you want to be part of football history, one day you have to play for Real Madrid.”

Mbappé Believes Real Madrid Took Him to Another Level

The French forward also reflected on how his status has changed since finally completing the move. Mbappé was already one of the biggest stars in world soccer before arriving in Spain, but he believes representing Real Madrid brings another level of recognition.

“When I arrived here, I already had a status, but when you are a Real Madrid player, you move to another level, to a higher level,” Mbappé explained.

After years of failed attempts, speculation and transfer windows dominated by questions about his future, the saga finally reached the conclusion Pérez had envisioned. Ten years after their first contact, Florentino finally brought Mbappé to Real Madrid — and the Frenchman says he is exactly where he wanted to be.

Key Takeaways

• Mbappé revealed that Florentino Pérez stayed in contact with him for 10 years before his Real Madrid move.
• The Frenchman says Pérez always told him that he would eventually play for Madrid, even after previous moves fell through.
• Mbappé believes playing for Real Madrid is part of becoming a piece of soccer history.