Neymar Jr. and Mbappé Lead Paris Saint-Germain to Third Straight Ligue 1 Title
Neymar Jr. and Kylian Mbappé have each scored 19 goals as Paris Saint-Germain have won the French Ligue 1 for the third consecutive season. The Parisians clinched their latest title with a 7-1 victory over last year’s runners-up Monaco on Sunday.
Neymar Jr., who transferred from Barcelona in the summer of 2017 for a world-record fee of 222 million euros, has been crucial to PSG’s success in Ligue 1. The Brazilian superstar has registered 52 goals and 28 assists in just 60 appearances for the club in all competitions.
Kylian Mbappé, who was also brought to the Parc des Princes last year by current PSG manager Thomas Tuchel, has been equally impressive. The 20-year-old Frenchman has not only scored 19 goals in Ligue 1 this season but also netted 14 times in 15 Champions League appearances as PSG reached the quarterfinals of Europe’s top club competition.
With Neymar Jr. and Mbappé both in such impressive form, it is no wonder that PSG have cruised to another league championship. The two forwards have formed a deadly partnership that has terrorized defenses throughout France and Europe.
While Neymar Jr. and Mbappé have been the stars of PSG’s season, it should not be forgotten that they are part of a very talented team. Daniel Alves, Marquinhos, Thiago Silva, Marco Verratti, and Ángel Di María are all top players who have helped make PSG one of the best teams in the world.
Tuchel will now hope to lead PSG to even greater success next season by winning the Champions League. The German manager will know that he can count on Neymar Jr. and Mbappé to deliver the goods when it matters most.
Neymar Jr. and Mbappé Lead Paris Saint-Germain to UEFA Champions League Victory
In what was a stunning and dominant performance by Paris Saint-Germain (PSG), Neymar Jr. and Kylian Mbappé both led the way in scoring as they downed Liverpool 3-1 in the UEFA Champions League (UCL)’s sixth matchday.
Playing at Anfield, Liverpool started off the stronger of the two sides but PSG soon began to take control. Neymar Jr. opened the scoring in the 27th minute with a superb free kick, his sixth goal in this year’s UCL. Mbappé then doubled PSG’s lead just after halftime, before Roberto Firmino pulled one back for Liverpool in the 76th minute. However, it was not enough as Neymar Jr.
led PSG to a 3-1 victory, ensuring their place in the quarterfinals of this year’s UCL.
Neymar Jr., who transferred from Barcelona to PSG last summer for a world-record €222 million fee, has now scored 45 goals in 50 games for his new club. Mbappé, who is just 19 years old, has been even more impressive, scoring 20 goals in just 23 games since joining PSG on loan from Monaco in the summer. With these two leading the way, PSG are now one of the favorites to win this year’s UCL title.
Neymar Jr. Becomes Highest-Paid Soccer Player in the World
Neymar da Silva Santos Júnior, popularly known as Neymar Jr., is a Brazilian professional footballer who plays as a striker for French club Paris Saint-Germain and the Brazil national team. He has been ranked by Forbes as the world’s third-highest-paid athlete.
In May 2013, Neymar signed a five-year deal with Barcelona worth €57.1 million (£48.6 million/ $73.8 million), plus €10 million in potential bonuses. With taxes, fees, and salary included, his deal was worth £109 million (€132 million/$175.8 million), making him the then second most expensive player in history behind teammate Lionel Messi.
On 3 August 2017, Neymar moved from Barcelona to Paris Saint-Germain in a record transfer deal of €222 million (£200 million/$262 million), becoming the most expensive player in history. In doing so, he also became the first ever person to be transferred for an amount over €200 million. His contract with PSG pays him €30 million per year over five seasons, plus bonuses totaling up to €20 million per year.[2] With taxes and Agent’s Fees included, his total yearly income reaches a sum of around €51 million (£45.5m/$68m).
On 14 July 2018, Neymar scored in the 2018 World Cup final as Brazil lost 2–1 to France at the Luzhniki Stadium in Moscow.[217] Following Brazil’s semi-final exit from the World Cup on 7 July against Belgium, Neymar was criticised for his performance on social media by many former Brazil players.[218][219][220] On 9 July, Neymar responded to the criticism by posting a video on Instagram titled “Pardon me father” in which he apologised to fans and critics while also stating that he would no longer take part in social media debates.[221] On 31 August 2018, Neymar was handed a three-match suspension by FIFA for using “insulting words” towards referee Björn Kuipers after being sent off during Brazil’s 2–0 win over Costa Rica on 22 June 2018.[222]
PSG Announces Record-Breaking Sponsorship Deal with Emirates Airlines
Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) has announced a record-breaking sponsorship deal with Emirates Airlines.
The 10-year agreement is worth a reported €330 million (£290 million/$370 million), making it the most lucrative sponsorship deal in the history of French football.
Emirates will become PSG’s official shirt sponsor, and the deal will see the airline’s name displayed on the team’s jerseys from the 2019/20 season onwards.
The partnership will also include branding opportunities across all of PSG’s stadiums, digital platforms, and retail outlets.
“We are very proud to have reached an agreement with Emirates, a leading global brand with whom we share many values,” said Nasser Al-Khelaifi, CEO of PSG. “This is a long-term partnership that will be instrumental in helping us push our club to even greater heights.”
“We are delighted to be partnering with Paris Saint-Germain, one of Europe’s most iconic football clubs,” added Sheikh Ahmed bin Saeed Al Maktoum, Chairman and CEO of Emirates Airlines. “This historic deal confirms our commitment to French football as well as our dedication to providing fans around the world with unrivalled access to European sporting events.”
Kylian Mbappé Named Youngest Ballon d’Or Winner Ever
In a surprise announcement on Monday, Kylian Mbappé was announced as the youngest-ever Ballon d’Or winner, at the age of just 20. The Paris Saint-Germain forward beat out his former teammate Neymar and Liverpool’s Mohamed Salah to take home the prestigious trophy.
Mbappé’s successful year saw him help France to World Cup glory and earn critical acclaim for his performances in both Ligue 1 and the Champions League. The Frenchman picked up 26.4% of all votes cast, ahead of Neymar (24%) and Salah (20%).
“It’s unimaginable,” Mbappé said during the ceremony at the Grand Palais in Paris. “I don’t have words. I thank everyone who voted for me.”
Ballon d’Or voting is undertaken by journalists from around the world, with each allowed to vote for five players. This year, 173 journalists took part in the ballot.
This is only Mbappé’s second year winning the award - he was voted best young player of last year’s World Cup after helping France to victory over Croatia in the final. At 19 years and 354 days old, he became the youngest player ever to win a Ballon d’Or, surpassing Lionel Messi, who was 21 when he won his first trophy in 2009.
At just 20 years old Kylian Mbappé is now a three-time Ballon d’Or winner!
Mbappe started playing football at an early age and began representing his local club AS Bondy at 6 years old. In 2013, he drew interest from Monaco and subsequently joined their youth academy. In February 2015, aged 16 years and 347 days old Mbappe made his professional debut for Monaco in a match against SM Caen coming on as a substitute for Dimitar Berbatov in the 75th minute.
In January 2017, Mbappé signed for Paris Saint-Germain on an initial loan deal with an option to buy for €180 million which made him the most expensive teenager ever. On 3 July 2018 Paris Saint-Germain exercised their option to buy Mbappé outright from Monaco for €180 million plus €35 million in potential add-ons making him then world’s second most expensive player after Neymar Jr..
Worldwide Recognition
He has played 57 times overall for les Bleus (the French national team), scoring 21 goals; since his international debut on 23 March 2017 against Luxembourg, scoring one goal on that occasion. He helped France reach the final of 2018 FIFA World Cup where they eventually lost to Croatia 4-2 despite leading 2-1 with less than 30 minutes remaining