At the beginning of my career, when I was still in the shadows, my father contacted Fecafoot to give me a chance to play with the Cameroon national team. They demanded a huge sum of money from us for me to be able to play for the team. My father who was disgusted by their attitude then turned to France, this France that has given me a chance to show the world what I am capable of. Today that I have become the most expensive player in the world, Cameroon now calls me and attribute to a nationality which is not mine. I am French and I will remain French.” ~ Kylian Mbappe.
He was born in Paris, but raised in a suburb called Bondy [Britannica]. His family background is interesting though, with his father originating from Cameroon and his mother having Algerian descent.He was transferred from AS Monaco to Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) for approximately €180 million in 2017. However, transfer fees in football can change rapidly due to new signings and inflation in the market
There’s a long history between France and Cameroon. Cameroon was a French colony for many years.
Is there a reason you’re in Cameroon? There’s a decent sized French community, especially in Yaoundé, the capital. Here’s some information about French people in Cameroon:
- Many French expats are business professionals
- French is still spoken alongside Cameroonian languages
- The French community enjoys sports and socializing
- Highest transfer fee ever paid: This belongs to Neymar da Silva Santos Júnior, known simply as Neymar. In 2017, Paris Saint-Germain paid a whopping €222 million (£200 million) to acquire him from Barcelona .
- Highest estimated transfer value: This title goes to English midfielder Jude Bellingham who plays for Real Madrid. As of June 2024, his transfer value is estimated at a staggering €267.5 million according to the CIES Football Observatory .
