Kylian Mbappe says he is leaving Paris Saint-Germain with his head held high but Luis Enrique does not expect to replace his star forward.
Mbappe announced this month he would leave the French capital at the end of the season after a seven-year stay during which he became their all-time top scorer, with 256 goals.
His last game for Luis Enrique's side came in Saturday's Coupe de France final at Lille's Stade Pierre-Mauroy, with first-half strikes from Ousmane Dembele and Fabian Ruiz securing a 2-1 win against Lyon.
"It was both difficult and enjoyable because it's a final, and in the end, we won. It's filled with joy," Mbappe told reporters.
"It's all good memories, many years, both at PSG and of course in this league. We leave with our heads held high, especially with a trophy, and we only keep the positives."
Mbappe has been heavily linked with a move to Spanish giants Real Madrid.
Asked why he had not announced his next club yet, the 25-year-old said: "Because I think that the best thing to do is to finish these goodbyes.
"I think all I wanted was to finish well with my club. There's a trophy. I think there's a time for everything.
"I'll announce my new club in due course. I think we're just a few days away, so there's no problem."
PSG head coach Luis Enrique says there will be no single replacement for Mbappe, placing the focus on the entire team.
"I have had the good fortune to coach Kylian this season, it has been a difficult one for him after seven years at his club and all that he has achieved, it is difficult to say goodbye," Enrique told a news conference.
"There is no substitute for Mbappe, we cannot replace him, we will do it through the team and four, five or six signings we can make.
"Kylian's replacement will be the team that, along with the fans and our ambition, will try to win everything in the following seasons."
Mbappe accepts Olympics omission but hopes France 'bring home the gold medal'
Kylian Mbappe accepts he will play no part at the forthcoming Paris Olympics, but hopes France "bring home the gold medal" in his absence.
The forward, who will join Real Madrid on June 30, was left out of Thierry Henry's provisional 25-man squad for the Games, which begins on July 24 - 10 days after the Euro 2024 final.
Mbappe had reportedly hoped to feature as one of Les Bleus' three overage players allowed per team in the primarily under-23 event.
However, Madrid ruled out the involvement of their players already featuring in the European Championship or Copa America.
"My club's position was very clear, so from that moment on, I think I won't be taking part in the games," Mbappe told reporters ahead of France's Euro 2024 opener against Austria.
"That's just the way it is, and I understand that too. I’m joining a new team in September, so it's not the best way to start an adventure.
"Now, I think I'm going to wish this French team all the best. I'm going to watch every game. Of course, as a fan, things will change. I hope they'll bring home the gold medal."
Mbappe's full attention is now on aiming to help France land a record-equalling third European Championship title in Germany.
The 25-year-old, who missed training earlier this week, provided an update on his fitness.
"I think the most important thing is not necessarily the physical, but the mental," he said. "How far I'm willing to go to win, that's the most important thing.
"I'm ready to win, it's more of a mental issue. My head is perfect, now let's see how my legs are. The most important thing is to be connected and to be fully invested in the mission we have, which is to win the match."
No changes as Brazil confirm final Copa America squad
Dorival Junior has stuck with the same 26-man squad he provisionally selected for Brazil's 2024 Copa America campaign.
Juventus' Bremer, Atalanta midfielder Ederson and Porto forward Pepe were all called up when CONMEBOL announced the squads were being expanded from 23 players to 26.
The Brazilian had already had to make changes after Manchester City's Ederson was ruled out due to an injury sustained at the end of the Premier League season, with Rafael brought in to replace him.
Lucas Paqueta also keeps his place after the Brazilian Football Association (CBF) confirmed he would be allowed to stay with the squad despite being charged by the England Football Association (FA) for allegedly breaching betting rules.
Casemiro, Gabriel Jesus and Thiago Silva had already been left out of the provisional squad announced in May, while Richarlison and Neymar are both missing due to injury.
Brazil are nine-time winners of the Copa America and will begin their campaign against Costa Rica on June 24 before also facing Paraguay and Colombia in Group D.
Final Brazil squad: Alisson (Liverpool), Bento (Atletico PR), Rafael (Sao Paolo), Beraldo (PSG), Bremer (Juventus), Eder Militao (Real Madrid), Gabriel (Arsenal), Marquinhos (PSG), Danilo (Juventus), Yan Couto (Girona), Guilherme Arana (Atletico MG), Wendell (Porto), Andreas Pereira (Fulham), Bruno Guimaraes (Newcastle), Douglas Luiz (Aston Villa), Ederson (Atalanta), Joao Gomes (Wolves), Lucas Paqueta (West Ham), Endrick (Palmeiras), Evanilson (Porto), Gabriel Martinelli (Arsenal), Pepe (Porto), Raphinha (Barcelona), Rodrygo (Real Madrid), Savinho (Girona), Vinicius Junior (Real Madrid).
Austria opener 'not decisive' for France as Deschamps highlights Argentina example
Didier Deschamps knows the importance of France's Euro 2024 opener against Austria, but he pointed to Argentina's World Cup success to demonstrate a fast start is not everything.
France are seen as one of the favourites to win the tournament in Germany, having reached the final at three of their last four major competitions, finishing as runners-up at Euro 2016 and the 2022 World Cup either side of winning the 2018 World Cup.
The Netherlands and Poland are also present in their tricky group, with Ronald Koeman's Oranje getting off the mark with a 2-1 win when those sides met on Sunday.
Though Deschamps is keen to see France match that fast start, their experience at the Qatar World Cup proved it is not a necessity.
A Kylian Mbappe hat-trick in the final of that tournament was not enough to prevent France from losing to a Lionel Messi-inspired Argentina, who had opened their campaign with a stunning 2-1 defeat to Saudi Arabia.
"The first match is very important, but not decisive," Deschamps said on Sunday. "Starting with a win… there is nothing better, Austria will think the same.
"Negotiating this first match well would put us in a good position, but there is no one way to do it, look at Argentina!
"This is the competition, we made sure with all the staff that they had all the information. The common trait between all the matches is that the intensity is very high.
"Austria have this strength, they use verticality well. We will have to be ready to get the result we want."
France's Euro 2024 preparations have been overshadowed by political events in the country, with forwards Marcus Thuram and Mbappe both choosing to speak out ahead of parliamentary elections to take place in the coming weeks.
With Marine Le Pen's National Rally party expected to fare well, Thuram said the situation was "sad".
Mbappe, meanwhile, used Sunday's pre-match press conference to say: "I hope we'll still be proud to wear this jersey on July 7."
Deschamps is not concerned about such matters distracting his players and never considered advising them against airing their views.
"I consider that my intervention would be inappropriate. I could have said, 'given the situation, guys, focus on the sport', as if I forbade them to speak," he said.
"I didn't. They are men, French citizens, with their own sensitivities. When they are on the pitch, they are focused on the sporting objectives, but not disconnected from what can happen."
SportsMax is the Caribbean sports channel of choice, committed to providing sporting content of the highest quality to the Caribbean, delivered by a team of highly innovative, passionate and qualified professionals.
(876) 619-7629
digitalmedia@sportsmax.tv
