Kylian Mbappé is coming off a victory with France against Brazil at Gillette Stadium, thanks to his goal and Hugo Ekitike‘s. However, with Real Madrid, the 27-year-old forward has been the subject of controversy and criticism.
Since joining the Whites, ‘Kiki’ has faced criticism regarding his performance during his first few months at the Bernabéu. Although he has become a key figure on the team over time, he has not been spared from criticism. Now, he has broken his silence on the matter.
Mbappé responds to criticism
Since the French national team’s training camp in the United States, Kylian has faced negative comments in recent weeks, after becoming embroiled in controversy over his injury, diagnosis at Real Madrid, and his commitment to the club:
“For Real Madrid fans, the club is a religion. People are very passionate. Everything related to the club and me creates a combination that gets everyone talking and speculating. Sometimes rightly so, sometimes not,” Mbappé explained on Téléfoot (via Sport).
This isn’t the first time Mbappé has been the target of criticism; since joining Los Merengues in the summer of 2024, he has faced harsh comments about his lack of performance, to which he later responded by becoming the top scorer in Spain’s La Liga and winning his first European Golden Boot.
In addition, the 2018 World Cup champion assured that he has been neither the first nor the only one to receive this type of criticism at the club, noting that even the club’s greatest legends have gone through this situation:
“At Real Madrid, you have to know how to deal with criticism. It happened to Ronaldo, to Di Stéfano… I don’t see why I should be an exception. You just have to stay calm, focus, and improve,” he said (via Fabrizio Romano on X).
Furthermore, looking ahead to soccer’s biggest tournament, the 2026 FIFA World Cup, Kylian stated that he isn’t thinking about it and that his focus is now entirely on Real Madrid:
“In Spain, they’re a bit worried that I won’t play. They think I’ll go straight to the World Cup, but no. The best way to arrive at the World Cup in top form is to win everything with my club,” he insisted.
Mbappé has scored 59 goals in a calendar year, just like CR7. Furthermore, this season, he is currently LaLiga’s top scorer and has been instrumental in the team’s progress in the Champions League, despite some recent knee issues in March 2026. However, he has yet to win a major title since arriving in Spain, such as the Champions League.
“We’re still in the running in LaLiga and Europe. We’re going to play against Bayern, which I think is the team in the best form in Europe right now, but if there’s one team that can beat them, it’s Real Madrid,” he declared.
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