Nicolas Anelka, who joined Real Madrid in 1999 after his debut at PSG, was invited by AS to comment on the signing of Kylian Mbappé.
By signing for Real Madrid, Kylian Mbappé becomes the second outfield player to join the Spanish capital after playing for Paris Saint-Germain (Alphonse Areola did this in 2019). A transfer which comes 25 years after the arrival of Nicolas Anelka, who had however passed through Arsenal before joining the Madrid club. On this occasion, the former enfant terrible of French football gave an interview to AS.
In this interview, published Tuesday June 4, Nicolas Anelka is asked if he has any advice to give Kylian Mbappé. “None, because he already speaks Spanish,” he replies.
“So the hardest part is over. When I went to Arsenal then Real Madrid, I had to learn English and then Spanish. That always slows down the adaptation a little. He doesn’t even need to wait. He is already ready. He has been preparing for years to play in Spain or in England, everything is done and thought out for him to succeed, so he does not need my advice. Nicolas Anelka, aged 45.
“I had to justify my price quickly”
In Madrid, Nicolas Anelka only stayed one season, due to lack of adaptation and sufficient performance in the league. “It was twenty-five years ago and I can’t compare with what Kylian is going to experience,” he comments. “I came from Arsenal and the French were not yet considered super players in Spain, in fact, I arrived with a large transfer fee for the time (35 million euros, editor’s note), but I was not a star.
“Paradoxically, the demands, with what Real had paid for me, seemed higher. I had to justify my price quickly. It’s different if you arrive for free. When you don’t have a transfer fee behind for you, it might be easier,” he concludes.
