Kylian Mbappe has joined Real Madrid to play abroad for the first time in his career starting this season, but the former Paris Saint-Germain star still maintains a strong connection to domestic football in another capacity, as the owner of a French football club.
Mbappe will become the largest shareholder of the Ligue 2 club SM Caen.
According to Ouest France, the 25-year-old superstar will become the largest shareholder of SM Caen, a team currently playing in Ligue 2. Mbappe is investing less than 20 million EUR to acquire 80% of the shares from the American investment group Oaktree. Pierre Antoine Capton, the current president, owns the remaining 20% of SM Caen. It is known that part of Mbappe’s investment will be used to cover the club’s existing debts.
SM Caen seems to have finally completed a “destined” relationship with Mbappe. The club had wanted to acquire the French football prodigy a few years ago, but Mbappe ultimately chose to develop at AS Monaco. Ziad Hammoud, the head of Mbappe’s brand image group, will be appointed as the new president of SM Caen by the player and his mother Fayza Lamari, who also represents Mbappe.
Mbappe’s investment in a club is certainly the next step in his plan to elevate his brand, and it is perhaps unsurprising that he is following in the footsteps of David Beckham by purchasing a club. However, not many players take over a football club while still actively playing at the highest level.
Mbappe will miss Real Madrid’s pre-season tour in the United States.
Meanwhile, Mbappe will miss Real Madrid’s pre-season tour in the United States. The French national team captain is on vacation after reaching the semi-finals of Euro 2024, and he cannot debut for his new club in upcoming friendlies against AC Milan, Barcelona, and Chelsea. Mbappe is expected to join the team right after the US tour and make his debut against Atalanta in the UEFA Super Cup match in Warsaw (Poland) on August 14.
Additionally, Real Madrid, who arrived in Chicago on Sunday, will also be without star midfielder Jude Bellingham and defender Dani Carvajal as they are on vacation after playing in the Euro 2024 final between England and Spain. Coach Carlo Ancelotti has included Brazilian teenage striker Endrick in the 26-man tour squad, which includes 12 young players. Endrick recently joined Real Madrid from Palmeiras on a permanent transfer after turning 18. His Brazilian teammates Vinicius Junior and Rodrygo Goes are in the squad but will join the team in a few days.
Real Madrid will face AC Milan at Soldier Field in Chicago on July 31, before the El Clasico against Barcelona on August 3 at Metlife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey. The La Liga and Champions League champions will conclude the tour with a match against Chelsea on August 6 at Bank of America Stadium in Charlotte, North Carolina.