Kylian Mbappe was quick to congratulate former club Paris Saint-Germain after they finally ended their wait for Champions League glory in the first season following his departure for Real Madrid.
PSG lifted the trophy for the first time by routing Inter Milan 5-0 at the Allianz Arena, that margin of victory the largest in the history of the European Cup and the Champions League.
Champions League glory eluded Mbappe throughout his time at PSG, though he did help them reach the final in 2020, and he missed out again this campaign with Madrid as Los Blancos were knocked out in the quarter-finals.
Madrid ended the season without a major trophy, their performances both domestically and on the European stage in marked contrast to those of PSG, who have reached new heights in the wake of Mbappe’s exit with a host of exciting young French players coming to the fore.
Desire Doue was the star of the show, the 19-year-old’s double following an opening goal he set up when Achraf Hakimi broke the deadlock in the 12th minute. Kvicha Kvaratskhelia made it 4-0 before another teenager, Senny Mayulu, rounded off an historic rout.
And Mbappe paid tribute to the club he left in a post on his Instagram story.
He wrote: “The big day has finally arrived. Victory, and in style, for an entire club. Congratulations PSG.”
Mbappe would be forgiven for thinking about what might have been while watching his former team-mates lift the trophy. Now he and Madrid must find a way to ensure they are the ones to dethrone PSG next season.
