Mbappé: Cristiano and Di Stéfano Were Criticized at Real Madrid, Why Shouldn't I Be?

Kylian Mbappé once again showcased his top form, highlighted by his stunning goal against Brazil on Thursday. While currently with the French national team, his thoughts remain firmly with Real Madrid. Ahead of tonight's match against Colombia in Maryland (10:00 PM ET), the forward gave an interview to Téléfoot, reflecting on his role at the Spanish giants and addressing concerns about his performance leading up to the World Cup.

“In Spain, there’s a bit of worry that I won’t be playing… and that I’ll go straight to the World Cup,” the star noted, emphasizing his commitment: “The best way to prepare is to win everything with Real before then.”

Real Madrid and France’s new number ten also touched upon the complexities of being the face of the Madrid club. “For people in Spain, Real Madrid is like a religion. They are very passionate, and there’s a lot of talk and speculation – sometimes justified, but other times not,” he explained. “You have to know how to handle criticism, because everyone at Real has been criticized. Cristiano Ronaldo, Di Stéfano… so I don’t see why I should be an exception.” He added his personal recipe for success: “You just have to stay calm, focus on what you need to do, and tell yourself that you can improve your performance on the pitch.”

Mbappé himself admits he’s already looking ahead to the upcoming Champions League matches. And he’s ready for anything. “We’re about to play against Bayern, who I think are the strongest team in Europe right now, but if anyone can beat such an opponent, it’s Real Madrid.” However, that’s not his sole focus, as he hasn’t forgotten about Barcelona either. “For me, what’s ahead is extremely important because we are heavily involved in both the Champions League and La Liga.”