French footballer Kylian Mbappé arrived in Cameroon on Thursday, July 6, the home country of his father, Wilfrid Mbappé. As he stepped off the private jet that had taken him from the United States to Yaoundé, the captain of the French national football team was greeted by an ecstatic crowd. Airport personnel, men, women, dance groups, members of his family… all shouting his name at the top of their lungs, each wanting to touch him or take a selfie with him.
Smiling, the 24-year-old player approached and greeted the crowd. The police and his bodyguards had trouble extracting him from the crowd. His entourage then headed to a school for children with hearing impairments, which has received funding from the foundation of the Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) forward. The 2018 World Cup champion shared a game of football with children who were visibly happy to see him.
Far from the Parisian turmoil, Kylian Mbappé will spend three days in Cameroon, staying at the Village Noah, the hotel complex of former tennis player Yannick Noah. On Friday, his schedule includes a meeting with the prime minister, and on Saturday, he will visit another school funded by his foundation in Douala before heading to the island of Djébalè, where his father is from.
“I can’t wait anymore”
For many Cameroonians, the arrival of the sportsman is a “recognition for the country of his ancestors”. “Even if he plays for France, he has Cameroonian blood in his body. Coming to the land of his ancestors is always a blessing. He has come to receive the blessing of his ancestors, the blessing of his country,” explains Roger Sylvain Tagne, a carpenter in Douala. For this FC Barcelona fan, the champion’s visit will also allow young people to “dream big”. “Mbappé is an extraordinary player, and I hope he will leave PSG for good. All the young people I know are inspired by him. He speaks well, he has no scandals, he is a role model for youth,” says Sonny, an apprentice carpenter.
At Vent d’Etoudi, a second division football club in Yaoundé, the players and staff have one goal: to draw as much advice and motivation as possible from Kylian Mbappé. They will play a gala match with the French prodigy this Friday. Passy Atangana, a midfielder for the club, is eager to spend time with this “leader of men” whose almost every Ligue 1 and Champions League match he watches. “I can’t wait anymore,” he confides. For him, playing with PSG’s top scorer is a “gift,” but also an opportunity to glean some advice for his future career.
“Seeing Mbappé is a dream, and when we say dream, they hope that one day they can be like him,” emphasizes retired Colonel Benoît Akini, administrator of Vent d’Etoudi, who claims to be “very happy and honored” by Kylian Mbappé’s visit. A shared joy. In a video shared on social media, the player is heard responding to someone asking if it is his first visit to Cameroon: “It’s not the first time, but I am very happy.”
