Compared to previous seasons, La Liga giants Real Madrid's performance this season is clearly not up to par, falling far short of the expectations of Real Madrid fans. In particular, this La Liga giant has recently suffered consecutive defeats, being thrashed by their arch-rival Barcelona in the national derby, and even a once-declining Serie A team can ride roughshod over them.
After Real Madrid's loss to Milan in the Champions League, Kylian Mbappe inadvertently became the target of criticism, with various accusations, doubts, speculations, and rumors. First, it was reported that Mbappe dislikes Ancelotti's tactics and only wants to be the core player. Then, there were reports that Mbappe has mental issues, leading some fans who dislike Real Madrid to openly mock, asking if Real Madrid is foolish for spending so much money on a "psychopath."
The question arises: With the star-studded lineup of La Liga giants, Mbappe is not the only player worth hundreds of millions. Since Mbappe is currently not considered a core figure at Real Madrid, in other words, Ancelotti has not formulated any tactics centered around Mbappe. So why do people blame Real Madrid's slump solely on Mbappe? I believe there are two reasons: firstly, Mbappe's arrival was hard-won, and secondly, too many people have overestimated Mbappe's abilities.
First, let's talk about how hard-won Mbappe is. Any fan of Real Madrid knows that the Spanish giants went to great lengths to bring Mbappe into their ranks. Back in the day, even acquiring Cristiano Ronaldo did not require such effort. Despite Mbappe just becoming a knight in white, the rumors between Real Madrid and Mbappe began many years ago.
Around seven years ago, Mbappe, with his outstanding performances in Ligue 1 and the Champions League, won that year's Golden Boy award ahead of Ousmane Dembele, successfully attracting the attention of many top clubs, including La Liga giants Real Madrid. At that time, rumors about Mbappe and Real Madrid flew like snowflakes.
Especially after the media reported that Mbappe had a dream of joining Real Madrid and that his greatest wish was to join the club, almost everyone believed that Mbappe would unhesitatingly choose Real Madrid. People believed that Mbappe would follow in the footsteps of his idol, Cristiano Ronaldo, to join Real Madrid and become a legend of the White Army.
However, to everyone's surprise, Mbappe, who was within arm's reach of the Bernabeu, forgot his dream of joining Real Madrid. Ultimately, Mbappe let Real Madrid down by choosing French club Paris Saint-Germain, a team lacking in tradition but not in money. They sealed the deal with a transfer fee of 180 million euros for the then highly sought-after rising star Mbappe. That summer, as the smell of money filled the air in Paris, the air in the Bernabeu was tinged with a faint sadness.
Having seen the past between Mbappe and Real Madrid, it's not difficult to understand why so many people question Mbappe. Mbappe's arrival made people wait for too long, and too many originally thought that Mbappe would raise the flag guiding Real Madrid forward. Unexpectedly, after eagerly looking forward, they were left in the dark, as Mbappe's performance fell far short of people's expectations.
Is Mbappe really not good enough in terms of ability? Not at all. This Frenchman boasts astonishing speed and explosive power, and he is also adept at dribbling and passing. It is especially worth mentioning that Mbappe's playing style is very compatible with Real Madrid. After all, this La Liga giant doesn't do anything else; they only play counterattacks. Of course, you can also call this tactic "stealing chickens." This tactic is not complicated; direct balls from the back find the front-line players, relying on speed and excellent finishing ability to deliver the fatal blow in one stroke.
The question is, since Mbappe fits Real Madrid's tactical approach and possesses unmatched speed, why does he not feel at ease? Personally, I think there are two reasons: one is that Mbappe has not yet fully integrated into the team at Real Madrid, and the other is that Real Madrid lacks a player capable of delivering threatening passes.
There have been many rumors about Mbappe recently, which cannot be fully believed but also cannot be completely disregarded. For example, Mbappe is not very fond of the tactical arrangements of Real Madrid's head coach; he wants to be the core player. This is actually not difficult to understand. Back when he was at Paris Saint-Germain, Mbappe was the core figure, leaving even Messi and Neymar helpless. Mbappe is French, and the Parc des Princes is his turf. The applause at the stadium could only be for Mbappe, as straightforward and simple as that. We've all seen the result: Neymar had little chance to take penalties, and Messi also lived an unhappy and frustrating life in Paris.
Accustomed to feeling superior, Mbappe obviously found it difficult to adapt upon arriving at the Bernabeu. Due to not lacking funds, this La Liga giant has accumulated too many players worth hundreds of millions. Although it appears star-studded on the surface, it's actually not a good thing. It's like England, which was scolded during the European Cup. Such a team finds it hard to unite and work together, with no one willing to submit to another, making individual play almost inevitable. How do they play together?
Recently, there have been rumors that Mbappe has mental problems, but in fact, the expression is not accurate enough. Mbappe does not have a mental illness but rather mood issues. Simply put, he is unhappy due to not being able to integrate, and this kind of emotion has also affected his performance, creating a vicious cycle. Coupled with the criticism and doubts from some fans, it's indeed quite challenging for Mbappe to be happy.
How can Mbappe get out of this predicament? Honestly, it's probably quite difficult. Mbappe is inherently an ambitious person. After the retirement of the two greats, this Frenchman wanted to soar higher, but unfortunately, he was born at the wrong time. Initially, there was the Norwegian beast Haaland, and now, the new star Amal is rising. Judging from the scores in the Ballon d'Or, Mbappe's future path will not be easy.
Even worse, Mbappe arrived at the Bernabeu at a time when it was not Real Madrid's best era. Despite the accumulation of players worth hundreds of millions within the team, they are essentially a group with inflated prices. To put it bluntly, these players don't live up to their valuations, and they are not pushovers either. It's basically impossible to expect them to wholeheartedly support Mbappe. Most importantly, Real Madrid has lost Kroos, their creativity, and threatening passes. All things considered, Mbappe's future is likely to be quite challenging.