"He's a Beast!": Arbeloa's Old Post About Mbappé Goes Viral

The relationship between Álvaro Arbeloa and Kylian Mbappé is currently at its most delicate point since the French forward's arrival at Real Madrid. Their post-match comments after the last game at the Bernabéu sparked significant controversy, and as often happens, social media quickly unearthed old posts.

In recent hours, an old message from Arbeloa on X (formerly Twitter), dated June 30, 2018, has gone viral. It was posted shortly after a stellar performance by the Frenchman at the World Cup in Russia. The current *Merengues* coach had then praised the forward, never imagining he would later be coaching him.

"Mbappé is like young Luke Skywalker. You know that, sooner or later, he will dominate the world. He's a beast!" Arbeloa posted on his official account.

The context of that post was vastly different from today's. Mbappé was just 19 years old and had just delivered one of the most memorable performances in World Cup history. The current *Blancos* number 10 dismantled Argentina with an unusual combination of speed, audacity, and precision for his age: he won the penalty for the first goal after a 50-meter sprint, scored two goals, and was a constant nightmare for the *Albiceleste* defense.

In that match, which ended in a 4-3 victory and France's qualification, Mbappé staked his claim for the throne of world football, leaving the impression that a new superstar had emerged. A month later, PSG officially completed his transfer for approximately 180 million euros.

Arbeloa, too, was in a very different phase of his career. The former Real Madrid player had retired two years prior, in 2016, after a stint with West Ham, and was taking his first steps off the pitch before beginning his coaching career in the Madrid club's youth academy. Seven years later, that message has resurfaced with force, highlighting the contrast between his public admiration then and the current tension marking their relationship at the club.