Orelsan Criticizes Mbappe’s Ownership of Caen in New Song

In the song titled ‘La petite voix’—translated to ‘The Little Voice’—Orelsan, a prominent musician from Caen, has voiced criticism regarding the ownership of the club by France captain Kylian Mbappe, who has held this role since acquiring a majority stake in 2024.

In one of the song’s verses, Orelsan sings, “You’re going to sink your city like the Mbappes.” This track is included in his latest album, ‘La fuite en avant,’ meaning ‘The Headlong Rush’ in English.

Mbappe responded heatedly on social media platform X, accusing Orelsan of “begging” for a minor stake in the club, stating: “You’re welcome to come and save the city you love so much. PS: The guy kept begging us to get in with 1% without paying because he doesn’t have a penny but wanted to look like the little guy from Normandy.”

However, Mbappe’s remarks have drawn criticism from supporters of Caen, who are protesting against his ownership. Following his post, a local fan named Sebastien expressed dismay to RMC Sport, saying: “We’re stunned, like everyone else. It’s sad. Orelsan is a huge celebrity in Caen. Kylian Mbappe has made a massive blunder that will tarnish his image. If he thinks he can turn the Caen fans against Orelsan, he’s going to have a very hard time; Orelsan is an idol. The song is a parody. Responding at face value is risky.”

Former Caen defender Brahim Thiam also critiqued Mbappe’s reaction, suggesting the song was not a personal attack despite its mention of his name. Writing on X, Thiam stated: “The punchline comes from an Orelsan song title that talks about his evil twin, a little voice that criticises everything and everyone, even his family, his buddies, and his wife – it’s not a personal matter, lol… It’s a shame to expose the club through this kind of post.”

In July 2024, Mbappe became one of Europe’s youngest football club owners after purchasing an 80% stake in Caen through his company, Coalition Capital, investing around £17.5 million (€20m/$23m). What initially appeared to be a symbolic homecoming—returning to the club that nearly signed him as a youth—has swiftly turned sour.

By April 2025, the situation worsened as Caen suffered a 3-0 defeat to Martigues, confirming their relegation from Ligue 2 and marking their first descent into France’s third division in 41 years. This led to supporters storming the pitch in protest, unfurling a banner that read: “Mbappe, SMC is not your toy.”

Following this relegation, the club controversially laid off sixteen staff members, resulting in further disdain directed at Mbappe from fans. Christophe Vaucelle, head of the Malherbe Normandy Kop, articulated the local sentiment: “The Mbappe clan bears some responsibility. They arrived, stayed invisible, and disconnected from the fans. The situation is catastrophic.”

Currently, Caen sits 10th in France’s third tier, having secured only three victories out of 13 league matches this season, with seven draws and three losses under the management of Maxime d’Ornano.

Despite the criticism off the pitch, Mbappe has maintained impressive form for Real Madrid during the 2025-26 season. The club’s number 7 has netted 18 goals in 15 appearances across all competitions, contributing to their position at the top of La Liga and seventh in the Champions League standings. Real Madrid is set to rebound from a 1-0 defeat against Liverpool in the Champions League when they face Rayo Vallecano in the league on Sunday, where the hosts currently sit 10th in the Spanish top flight with 14 points from 11 games this season.