Kylian Mbappe is set to face his former club Paris Saint-Germain for the first time since leaving in 2024, as Real Madrid take on PSG in a high-stakes Club World Cup semi-final on Wednesday.
After spending seven seasons in Paris and becoming PSG’s all-time top scorer with 256 goals in 308 games, Mbappe’s departure left mixed feelings. His decision to run down his contract and join Real Madrid for free frustrated the Qatari-owned club, resulting in an ongoing legal dispute over €55 million in alleged unpaid wages and bonuses.
Tensions escalated last year when Mbappe accused PSG of sidelining him and excluding him from the main squad during pre-season, triggering a complaint of moral harassment. Though that complaint was recently withdrawn, the sour exit has kept emotions high.
Now, with Mbappe fully recovered from a stomach bug that kept him out of the Club World Cup group stage, all eyes are on his reunion with PSG in the semi-final.
Real Madrid, led by Xabi Alonso, have been flying, with 22-year-old Gonzalo Garcia stepping up in Mbappe’s absence—scoring four goals in five matches. But with the French superstar now available, Los Blancos are aiming for their spot in the final and another shot at global glory.
