Anelka: "I Opened The Door" For Mbappe
Nicolas Anelka calls himself "a pioneer" for players like Kylian Mbappe to make big money moves in Europe
While promoting his upcoming Netflix documentary, Misunderstood, Nicolas Anelka credited himself as a "pioneer" who paved the way for French stars like Paris Saint-Germain's Kylian Mbappe to explore the option of playing elsewhere in Europe for huge wages.
In an interview with Le Parisien:
“He is as strong technically as he is mentally. But I came before him to remove obstacles. I was one of the first to head abroad and to have signed in a big transfer (he joined Real Madrid for €35m in 1999). I was also the first to work with my family (as agents), with my brothers, at a time when that was looked down upon in the game. Today, that is basically normal.”
“I was a pioneer and the pioneer, he is taking hits. But I opened the door. A Mbappé, with all his strengths, is also profiting from my experience over 20 years. And he is right to.”