Kylian Mbappe has two games to define his PSG legacy

Kylian Mbappe announced on Monday that he will take on Usain Bolt over 100m. Should Paris Saint-Germain fail to make it past Borussia Dortmund, they might as well race on the runway at Charles de Gaulle.

The absence of a Champions League final will quicken Mbappe’s exit for Real Madrid. To the rest of the world, it will also mark the end of his time at PSG. There is still a French Cup final against Lyon this month, but this is the match and the competition that matters.

After seven years, it is not unreasonable to say that two games — Tuesday evening's match at Parc des Princes and the final at Wembley on June 1 — will determine his legacy in Paris. That is not to say he will be unfavourably remembered if he doesn’t win the Champions League. The majority love him here, in the capital and beyond. Despite being Paris-born, it is his relationship with the club’s ultras that is more complicated.

But to most Mbappe is the Galactico who cared, who always sought to maximise what he gave on the pitch, even if that meant becoming embroiled in power struggles off it. The power, in truth, has always resided with him.

If there is a major event here in France, the country wants to know what two people think. Firstly, president Emmanuel Macron. Then, Mbappe. Macron, however, probably wants to know what Mbappe thinks first.

The petit president has always aligned himself with this sporting giant. He celebrated with him after victory in the 2018 World Cup final, and made straight for Mbappe — and votes — when consoling him on the field following defeat four years later.

A recent invite from Macron to attend a state dinner with the Emir of Qatar at the Elysee Palace underlined Mbappe’s allure and status. He is smart enough to accept the