Kylian Mbappe's time at PSG played key role in French-Qatari politics: Report

Kylian Mbappe was recently invited for dinner by the French President

Kylian Mbappe has also become a prominent player in French politics. He was there at a dinner hosted by Macron at the Elysee Palace in Paris just last week when Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, the Emir of Qatar, was visiting the French capital.

The highlight of President Emmanuel Macron’s Tuesday dinner for the prime minister of Qatar was Kylian Mbappe. Kylian, on the other hand, was simply there for the usual Parisian dining experience—heavily sauced meat presented by a man who despises you—while Khelaifi stayed for the major event of the week: high-level government negotiations about mediating a truce in Gaza.

Since Qatar serves as a mediator between Palestine and Israel, the talks for a new ceasefire in Gaza were the primary reason for the Emir’s visit. However, the purpose of the Elysee dinner is to bring jointly sports individuals, so Mbappe is not the only well-known football player invited.

This summer, Paris is scheduled to host the Olympic Games. Amélie Oudea-Castera, the head of the French government’s Sports and Education division, and Mayor Anne Hidalgo are also slated to be present at the event.

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Nevertheless, Mbappe would return to the Elysee with his sights set on Real Madrid, so none of these individuals—who have been crucial to the player’s development in France—had a chance of persuading the world champion to change his mind once more.

The complicated interplay between sports, power, and national identity is reflected in Mbappe’s professional decisions, which are entwined with political and economic objectives. This creates the possibility of changes in perceptions and alliances.

However, it is still unclear why Macron became engaged. Was his goal merely to retain a French asset in France, or did he also want to placate Qatar? After all, France changed its vote and supported Qatar to host the 2022 World Cup following a meeting between the Emir and then-President Nicolas Sarkozy at the Elysée Palace—a coincidence, all parties involved insist. Subsequently, agreements have been reached over gas and armaments, and French football was saved by Qatari funds following the cancellation of its television contract.

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