My day with Kylian Mbappe (English version)
I spent a day in the company of Kylian Mbappé during his visit to Douala, Cameroon. From morning until 2 a.m. on the steps of the private jet, I was in a total immersion.
In this blog post, I will share everything I observed and experienced behind the scenes.
Through my exchanges with Kylian, his mother, and his inner circle.
Yet, I have no interest in football or the star himself, as such.
But Kylian’s story caught my attention for another aspect: his mixed heritage. It’s a complex reality that, as a person of mixed race, I even sometimes find hard to understand.
Initially, I thought I would meet a specific guy: Kylian. However, what I discovered was a guy within a family (his team).
My goal now is to understand, follow, and observe the projects they have for Africa (Cameroon and Algeria).
Basically, I will be following the Mbappé team in Africa.
But following them in my own way means looking through my eyes as a POLITICAL CONTENT CREATOR.
Paradoxically, following the Mbappé team in Africa means ignoring politics most of the time. It means stepping away from all the political fuss surrounding Kylian in the media.
Because when you’re a star of African origin with a French passport in Africa, everything you do gets a political spin. It’s like, whenever you sneeze, they say Macron had something to do with it. You can’t escape it, no matter what. Especially now, as a bunch of French-speaking African countries are going through a breakup with France.
But “Following the Mbappé team in Africa” is also like watching a war movie with popcorn.
Because entrepreneurship is masochistic, but entrepreneurship in our country takes it to another level.
So, I’m going to have a blast watching a team strive to build a project in a country as messed up and complicated as Cameroon.
A country where even the bravest investors are afraid to venture into.
That’s why I’ve got my eyes glued to the team and their crew because not everyone can make it in our environment.
Honestly, with their unique way of operating, there is hope.
That’s all for the trailer…
Are you ready for Episode 1?
A mixed-race boy at the heart of the story.
First off, Kylian’s background really resonated with me. He grew up in France (just like me) . He identifies with French culture. But he’s also of Cameroonian descent through his black father (just like mine).
And one reality we share is that no matter where you go in the world, people always have something to say about our mixed heritage.
“He’s white.” “Did you see the black guy?” “No, he’s Cameroonian, look at his name.” “No, I bet he’s a French guy but from the ghetto.” “He’s Arab.” “But come on, you can tell he’s mixed-race.” “Oh well, forget it, he’s not a true Cameroonian.” “He’s not French, he’s African.”
“She’s definitely black” “What are you saying, white girl?” “She’s not French, she’s from the Caribbean.” “She doesn’t understand our language, she’s a Mbenguiste from the diaspora.” “Look at this black girl with a huge afro” “Are you from the projects?” “Oh so you’re actually French?”
In short, our skin color depends on the perspective of the interlocutor.
So, who is this young mixed-race guy?
Of course, Kylian also happens to be a popular and genius mixed-race soccer player.
But that’s just the icing on the cake.
What caught my attention was: why show up after more than 10 years’ absence in a country to which he had only visited on rare occasions in his youth? And above all, why come back as an adult with projects in his suitcase?
It resonates with me. Because I also returned to Cameroon a few years ago to make my own contribution.
But before I explain all that, I need to tell you how I found myself in Kylian’s entourage that day.
The complicated relationship of Franco-Africans with France.
Since I spent the whole day with the consul, Kylian asked me if I worked at the consulate.
Me, working for French diplomacy in Africa? NO WAY
I am critical of “Françafrique” (France-Africa political post-colonial relationship) and happy to see a multipolar competition emerging on the African continent (China, Russia, Turkey, etc.)
So anyway, there’s Stéphane, the Consul General of France (some of whose political discussions make my skin crawl, I admit).
And there’s Stéphane, the human being that I really like.
This consul is exceptional.
An anti-French Cameroonian politician sums up quite well the effect he can have on people. He told me:
“Before, I used to have cordial relations with the various consuls. It was diplomacy. But with the current consul, it’s fraternity. And in the end, that’s true diplomacy.”
In short, if you put a consul like that in Mali, it’s harder for France to get ejected. Because he has outstanding interpersonal skills.
(As a sidenote — the Mbappés liked him so much they even invited him to stay at their place when he’s in France).
By the way, I met some very well-integrated French diplomats, far removed from the image of anti-French sentiment.
However, Paris seems disconnected, making obvious diplomatic blunders. For example, the appointment of an LGBT ambassador to Cameroon, or the tolerance shown towards certain coup plotters and not others.
But anyway, getting back to our favorite Franco-African…
So, is Kylian nice?
That’s the first question my friends asked me the next day. And honestly, yes, I did find him very natural.
When I sat with him for a few minutes in the evening, it was “normal.” It was like you’re just having a relaxed moment on a couch with a friend.
You quickly forget that he’s a star because he’s so down-to-earth and easygoing.
He’s an open guy. Despite being tired from the day, before isolating himself to rest, he took the time to chill on the couches and talk to new people. He asked questions, was curious, and listened.
I found him straightforward, direct, and friendly. He’s the kind of guy you can easily break the ice with. “What comes out, comes out,” as we say in Cameroon. He’s spontaneous, and you can easily joke around with him.
I was surprised by his answers to my questions.
“Kylian, how do you handle the crowd? Personally, I couldn’t take it after a day; it was overwhelming. How do you manage it continuously whenever you go out?”
I must say he had a very professional way of dealing with the crowd.
Let me clarify, people went crazy:
- They would bang on the windows of our cars and press their heads against them, trying to spot Kylian among the convoy.
- Law enforcement and military personnel responsible for security sometimes forgot their roles, ready to do anything to take a selfie with their demigod.
- There were constant flashes, even in small gatherings. Signing of t-shirts, balls, notebooks, and so on. NOT A MOMENT OF REST.
And yet, Kylian seemed generally unfazed.
All day, he hid behind his sunglasses and cap.
By the way, I didn’t see him smile a lot. Although he knew how to greet the crowd enthusiastically at times, he didn’t show much else.
His team told me that he switches into a certain mode. He mentally prepares himself in the morning to experience this. As a result, nothing can take him out of that state, whatsoever. He programs himself in “crazy crowd” mode.
If I were to do some pop psychology (which I love), I would say he seems to have found a balance to protect himself. I noticed that he could handle a lot on his shoulders, well beyond the football field. He has adapted very well to this daily pressure and the infernal reality of being a star.
What’s completely crazy is that he can’t do anything without being recognized. Like one day, when he rang his mother’s doorbell, a guy recognized him from behind and stopped him.
By the way, I also asked him, “Kylian, what was your worst and best moment during your tour in Cameroon?”
“I didn’t have a worst moment, honestly, I loved everything, every moment. But the most memorable one was in Yaoundé at the school for deaf and hearing-impaired children. Because children are more genuine than adults. They don’t change their attitude, they don’t lie. It’s the time I spent with them that I enjoyed the most.”
Speaking of kids, I had the pleasure of meeting the mother of our child from the country.
I sat next to Fayza Lamari throughout the entire dinner.
Kylian’s mom, a strong woman
I wasn’t expecting her to be so present. She’s the boss of the Mbappe business (for contracts and PR). She was sitting in the front seat throughout the entire procession.
I found her funny and spontaneous. But she’s the kind of person that makes you think, “don’t mess with her.”
Because she has a strong personality. She reminds me of one of my Marseille friends of Algerian origins, emancipated from the Arab culture and who loves to party. In any case, she exudes a hell lot of strength. The kind that won’t be pushed around and will protect her son’s interests.
Fayza is very patriotic. She considers herself French first. She was born and raised in France, just like her mother before her.
Why did she make me laugh?
During dinner, she jokingly said to me:
“I feel like going outside to smoke a cigarette, but it wouldn’t look good in front of the consul during dinner. But I’m nouveau riche, I don’t have the codes of the aristocrats.”
I replied:
“Well, the consul is from Marseille and unconventional, he won’t mind at all.”
The consul confirmed that he didn’t care.
We said to ourselves, let’s go to the terrace. People scattered throughout the consulate to have their dessert. It was a relaxed atmosphere, as if we were at home. I took the opportunity to go outside, play some music, and some people started dancing.
Fayza explained to me how bicultural her son is.
“Kylian knows Charles Aznavour’s album by heart, but at 10 months old, he also had the miondo (a traditional African musical food) in his hand, he loved it too.”
I bombarded her with questions. She also told me that becoming the mother of an international football player overnight is no easy task.
My relationship with my son has become more complicated since his success. Even if you didn’t change, your friends did, they don’t see you the way they used to and they don’t behave the same.
As Kylian went off to rest in his bedroom for several hours, I had time to get to know his team, especially 5 of its members.
I thought I was meeting a guy: Kylian. But I actually met a guy within a family.
Kylian and those close to him quickly appeared to me as inseparable. I wouldn’t have expected them to be so tight-knit.
They gave me the impression of forming an “AFFECTIVE CLAN”.
I found them to be very close to one another. They’re the kind of team that’s together 24 hours a day, sometimes even during vacation time.
As with Kylian, you quickly forget their “stature”. You quickly forget that they run a soccer empire worth millions of euros.
It’s a very mixed team. They’re almost all Franco-something.
West Indies, Africa, Lebanon… with a great love for France, their first bride!
Trust and proximity seem to be just as important as expertise to be hired by the Mbappes.
The team includes one of mom’s best friends, Kylian’s best friend, the ex-sister-in-law, etc., as well as others from outside the family circle. But that’s just to show you the family side of the team.
After having chilled with them all evening, I realized that Kylian had an important cornerstone in his life to handle pressure. His entourage seemed very protective.
But I was intrigued by the way his team would described Kylian to me.
The one who started it all was “La République”.
This guy is known as “La République”, aka Momo. Basically, he works for the Home Office to ensure the safety of football players. For more than 20 years, he’s been escorting top-level players in their daily lives (Zinedine Zidane’s been one of them).
He is sometimes the confidant of the players he has been escorting from a very young age when they leave the family home.
Mohammed explained:
“Kylian is really different. Even after 20 years in the game, he’s still teaching me something new every day. He’s the only one. I’ve been around a lot of players over the years, but Kylian really stands out. His way of being is unique and offbeat. You never expect his way of seeing things. He has a singular perspective that sets him apart. He’s offbeat. It’s rewarding to be with him.
And Kylian’s relatives concurred, saying that he was indeed OFFBEAT.
But I don’t know any more than that, they explained to me that it’s hard to get that feeling from afar, that you really have to be around him every day to understand that part of him.
Seems like an interesting personality trait. Because to be part of the elite, you can’t “think” or “be” like the masses. You need something singular in your character.
Limited knowledge of Cameroon
As for the Franco-Cameroonian side of things, I could see straight away that he didn’t know the country very well. In terms of references, codes, and bearings in general.
This lack of knowledge spoke directly to me because he’s just the I was, 3 years ago, before I moved here. It’s normal when you grow up outside of the country.
However, this doesn’t call their origins into question. On the contrary, this lack of bearings can be a source of motivation to create something new.
And when we went to the island of Djebalé (the native island of Kylian’s father), it was very moving to see Kylian wearing the traditional outfit.
I did the same thing 3 years ago in my village of Bana, where I’m a princess.
Even though he’s a star, the crowd put down their phones out of respect for traditions that shouldn’t be filmed. People were proud to see him showcase his heritage.
A personal resonance
Kylian and his team have made it easier for me to better appreciate being mixed race when I’m back home in Cameroon. Of course, there are privileges to being mixed race (#colorism) or even to being a black French person.
But it’s also a poisoned chalice at times, which is synonymous with rejection.
In everyday life, people like to take the piss out of “little white people” while also having a kind of inferioty complex or even admiration for them. What a dodgy relationship.
The notion of Cameroonian identity is still restrictive and excluding.
As soon as you speak without an accent or have references from elsewhere, you no longer have the right to be Cameroonian by origin.
Sometimes this isn’t said unkindly. Other times, it is meant as an insult with a lot of contempt or rejection.
My black French buddies of Cameroonian origin sometimes feel the same way, or experience similar integration difficulties.
Meanwhile in France, we’re also subject to racism.
And seeing a guy respected as a Franco-Cameroonian, that feels good.
Now when people bring me back to my origins, I say “I’m like Kylian Mbappé”.
It’s sad to think that as a person of mixed race, you have to be at the top, like Kylian, Yannick Noah or Chantal Biya, for our mixed race to be accepted or at least a little less criticized.
A final word
Kylian, Melissa, Virigine, Tchaga, Fayza, Seka, Victor… and the whole team: thank you for your warm welcome. I felt very easily integrated and at ease with all of you. I’ll always remember this day.
Thank you to Stéphane Catta for allowing me to live this experience, the country will miss you very much.
Dear readers, thank you for reading this far! This is only the second time in my life that I’ve taken up the pen, and I love the experience of writing beyond the video format. See you soon for episode 2.
Your support pushes me forward.
Kiss
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