Neymar and Kylian Mbappe of Paris Saint-Germain during a training session ahead of the Champions League Final against Bayern Munich at Estadio do Sport in Lisbon. Getty
Neymar and Kylian Mbappe of Paris Saint-Germain during a training session ahead of the Champions League Final against Bayern Munich at Estadio do Sport in Lisbon. Getty
Neymar during the training session. Getty
Neymar during the training session. Getty
PSG are in their first Champions League final. Getty
PSG are in their first Champions League final. Getty
Neymar is the world's most expensive player. Getty
Neymar is the world's most expensive player. Getty
Pablo Sarabia and Angel Di Maria. Getty
Pablo Sarabia and Angel Di Maria. Getty
Kylian Mbappe of Paris Saint-Germain. Getty
Kylian Mbappe of Paris Saint-Germain. Getty
Thomas Tuchel, coach of Paris Saint-Germain, watches the training session. Getty
Thomas Tuchel, coach of Paris Saint-Germain, watches the training session. Getty
Angel Di Maria of Paris Saint-Germain during training. Getty
Angel Di Maria of Paris Saint-Germain during training. Getty

Football

Champions League final: Kylian Mbappe reveals the story behind his special pink boots

The Paris Saint-Germain striker will wear a jazzy new pair of Nike for the clash with Bayern Munich

Ian Oxborrow
Ian Oxborrow

August 23, 2020

  • English
  • Arabic

Kylian Mbappe stands out on most football pitches he steps on.

But in Sunday's Champions League final between Paris Saint-Germain and Bayern Munich, the most exciting young player in the world will catch the eye for an extra reason.

The Frenchman will be wearing a snazzy new pair of pink boots - the Nike Mercurial Superfly Mbappe Rosa - as he tries to find a way past Bayern goalkeeper Manuel Neuer.

And Mbappe has revealed how his new boots, a new version of the 2008 Mecurial Vapor Rosa, have brought back memories of his humble beginnings and life lessons from his parents.

"When I was a young boy around 10 years old I saw these incredible pink boots being worn by some of my favourite players in the world," he said.

"I wanted those boots so badly, I begged my parents to get some and they told me that if I worked really hard and did well at school for long enough I could get these beautiful boots. I listened to my parents and worked so hard that in the end they had to get them for me. I was so happy!"

The Nike Mercurial Superfly Mbappé Rosa. Courtesy Nike
The Nike Mercurial Superfly Mbappé Rosa. Courtesy Nike
Read More

Neymar finally repaying a huge debt as PSG stand on the brink of history

He added on social media that his parents "saved up for a quarter" to be able to afford the boots for him more than a decade ago, and how the first edition of the Mecurial Pink Panther were worn by "the great Frank Ribery".

The boot will be available for the public to buy from August 31.

Mbappe meanwhile says he is determined to make history against Bayern.

"This is exactly why I came here. I always said that I wanted to go down in my country's history. Tomorrow is another chance to do that," Mbappe said on the eve of PSG's first Champions League final appearance.

He has once again been in fine form this season, scoring 29 goals in all competitions, and helped PSG win their seventh league title in eight years.

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Adidas Predator, Puma King: 10 great football boots

Puma King: Released in 1970, the King was the choice of footwear for icons such as Pele. Puma pioneered the concept of lightweight materials for boots, were one of the first to introduce all-white boots, and began the era of big sponsorship deals with players. Getty Images
Puma King: Released in 1970, the King was the choice of footwear for icons such as Pele. Puma pioneered the concept of lightweight materials for boots, were one of the first to introduce all-white boots, and began the era of big sponsorship deals with players. Getty Images
Adidas Copa Mundial: The iconic black and white colours were developed mainly for the 1982 World Cup. At the time, it was lightest boot on the market. And you can never forget those simple and timeless lines. Reuters
Adidas Copa Mundial: The iconic black and white colours were developed mainly for the 1982 World Cup. At the time, it was lightest boot on the market. And you can never forget those simple and timeless lines. Reuters
Nike Air Zoom Total 90 III: Fernando Torres, Roberto Carlos and Luis Figo with another 'great'. The Air Zoom Total 90 III was introduced at Euro 2004. The concept was to provide power and comfort for the entire match. The 'off-centre lacing' of Total 90 II, released in 2002, was seen as revolutionary. Getty
Nike Air Zoom Total 90 III: Fernando Torres, Roberto Carlos and Luis Figo with another 'great'. The Air Zoom Total 90 III was introduced at Euro 2004. The concept was to provide power and comfort for the entire match. The 'off-centre lacing' of Total 90 II, released in 2002, was seen as revolutionary. Getty
Adidas F50: These are the newer versions of the 2004 edition that brought about a major change - leather upper to cover laces and allow for a larger strike zone for the forwards. Shutterstock
Adidas F50: These are the newer versions of the 2004 edition that brought about a major change - leather upper to cover laces and allow for a larger strike zone for the forwards. Shutterstock
Hi-Tec: Remember these? Dennis Wise wore them. Roy Keane was advertised as making it to every major competition in 1999/2000 in Hi-Tech boots. Getty
Hi-Tec: Remember these? Dennis Wise wore them. Roy Keane was advertised as making it to every major competition in 1999/2000 in Hi-Tech boots. Getty
Mizuno Wave Cup: A little know Japanese brand called Mizuno snagged a superstar like Rivaldo at the beginning of the century. The Brazilian, seen here wearing the Wave Cup, had a stellar 2002 World Cup in Japan. It proved to be perfect timing as their new stud configuration was later adopted by other brands. Getty
Mizuno Wave Cup: A little know Japanese brand called Mizuno snagged a superstar like Rivaldo at the beginning of the century. The Brazilian, seen here wearing the Wave Cup, had a stellar 2002 World Cup in Japan. It proved to be perfect timing as their new stud configuration was later adopted by other brands. Getty
Puma V1.06: Debuted at the 2006 World Cup as the lightest boots in the market. Peter Crouch of England was among those who wore these beauties. Getty
Puma V1.06: Debuted at the 2006 World Cup as the lightest boots in the market. Peter Crouch of England was among those who wore these beauties. Getty
Adidas F50 Adizero: That's Lionel Messi's work boots. Launched in 2010, the boots weighed just 165 grams, which were the lightest in the world and took over from Nike SuperFly. Reuters
Adidas F50 Adizero: That's Lionel Messi's work boots. Launched in 2010, the boots weighed just 165 grams, which were the lightest in the world and took over from Nike SuperFly. Reuters
Nike Mercurial SuperFly II: The boot that changed the game this century. Carbon fibre soleplate and 'flywire' knitting made SuperFly I super light - around 185 grams. The SuperFly II, pictured here, was introduced one year later in 2010 and came with a high-tech stud that adjusted according to conditions. Reuters
Nike Mercurial SuperFly II: The boot that changed the game this century. Carbon fibre soleplate and 'flywire' knitting made SuperFly I super light - around 185 grams. The SuperFly II, pictured here, was introduced one year later in 2010 and came with a high-tech stud that adjusted according to conditions. Reuters
Adidas Predator: The undisputed king of high performance football shoes. The Predator, launched in 1994, defined the modern era of football, increasing the power and spin imparted on the ball through rubber patches at the top of the shoe. Getty
Adidas Predator: The undisputed king of high performance football shoes. The Predator, launched in 1994, defined the modern era of football, increasing the power and spin imparted on the ball through rubber patches at the top of the shoe. Getty
THE CLOWN OF GAZA

Director: Abdulrahman Sabbah 

Starring: Alaa Meqdad

Rating: 4/5

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MATCH INFO

Uefa Champioons League semi-final:

First leg: Liverpool 5 Roma 2

Second leg: Wednesday, May 2, Stadio Olimpico, Rome

TV: BeIN Sports, 10.45pm (UAE)

What can victims do?

Always use only regulated platforms

Stop all transactions and communication on suspicion

Save all evidence (screenshots, chat logs, transaction IDs)

Report to local authorities

Warn others to prevent further harm

Courtesy: Crystal Intelligence

Abu Dhabi World Pro 2019 remaining schedule:

Wednesday April 24: Abu Dhabi World Professional Jiu-Jitsu Championship, 11am-6pm

Thursday April 25:  Abu Dhabi World Professional Jiu-Jitsu Championship, 11am-5pm

Friday April 26: Finals, 3-6pm

Saturday April 27: Awards ceremony, 4pm and 8pm

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More than 2.2 million Indian tourists arrived in UAE in 2023
More than 3.5 million Indians reside in UAE
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UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Paris Saint-Germain