Kylian Mbappé’s outstanding World Cup has prompted an unusual reaction in Madrid. Real supporters are enjoying the striker’s success with France, but some are also questioning why he has not appeared quite as authoritative at the Santiago Bernabéu.
The 27-year-old has scored eight goals at the tournament and will lead France into Tuesday’s semi-final against Spain. According to FIFA’s official France team page, no French player has scored more at the competition, while Mbappé also leads his country in attempts on goal.
His scoring record is only part of the discussion. In France colours, Mbappé has looked like the undisputed leader of the team, directing teammates, demanding the ball and setting the emotional tone of matches.
That version of the forward has caught the attention of supporters in the Spanish capital.
Read also: England urged to embrace a ‘killer mindset’ in pursuit of World Cup glory
Madrid supporters want the same authority
According to L’Équipe’s report from Madrid, the debate is particularly noticeable at Peña Saeta, a Real Madrid supporters’ restaurant around 10 kilometres south of the city centre.
The venue is filled with photographs, trophies and reminders of the club’s history. Alfredo Di Stéfano and Florentino Pérez feature prominently, but Mbappé has yet to earn a similar place on the walls.
“He has to do better and win trophies!” said Lidice, the restaurant’s owner.
Her husband, Jose, was more specific about what he feels is missing. “We expect more character,” he said, comparing Mbappé’s club performances with the authority he has shown as France captain.
Read also: Dana White erupts over UFC 329 blunder: ‘Are you f*cking kidding me?’
Jose pointed to the striker’s willingness to organise and instruct his international teammates. The criticism is therefore not primarily about goals, but about presence, leadership and the ability to shape a team around him.
His numbers remain difficult to criticise
The frustration appears harsh when Mbappé’s individual figures are considered.
He scored 42 goals in 44 appearances for Real Madrid last season, including 25 in La Liga and 15 in the Champions League. Those numbers made him the club’s clear attacking leader, even during a disappointing campaign for the team as a whole.
His trophy record also requires clarification. Mbappé has not won only the Intercontinental Cup since joining Madrid, as stated in the original version of the story.
Read also: ‘No one is above anyone else’: Yamal sets tone for France-Spain showdown
According to Real Madrid’s official review of his first 100 appearances, he won both the UEFA Super Cup and the Intercontinental Cup during his first season, scoring in both finals.
Neither trophy, however, carries the same weight in Madrid as La Liga or the Champions League. At a club that has won the European Cup 15 times, individual scoring records rarely silence criticism when the biggest trophies are missing.
Cañizares points to Real Madrid’s wider problems
Former Real Madrid and Spain goalkeeper Santiago Cañizares believes it is unfair to interpret the difference as a question of effort or motivation.
“It is not fair to suggest that players choose their matches,” Cañizares said.
Read also: Inside the F1 Paddock Club, where race weekends become luxury experiences
His argument is that players are heavily influenced by the structure and form of the team around them. Real Madrid struggled collectively last season, which made several leading players appear less effective than they have been for their national sides.
That explanation also applies to Jude Bellingham, who has produced some of his best football for England at the World Cup after a more difficult club campaign.
Mbappé’s role with France is also clearer. Didier Deschamps has built his attack around the captain, while Ousmane Dembélé and Michael Olise provide balance from the right. Their movement gives Mbappé greater freedom to attack his preferred spaces without constantly occupying the same areas as another forward.
The Vinicius problem remains unresolved
At Real Madrid, Mbappé and Vinicius Junior both prefer to begin attacks from the left. Although they have made efforts to combine, their partnership has not always looked natural.
Read also: World Cup makes history as FIFA’s top four reach semi-finals
Former France international Julien Escudé told L’Équipe that the two forwards often operate in the same part of the pitch, while France’s attack is spread more evenly across the field.
There is also a clearer hierarchy with the national team. Dembélé may be a Ballon d’Or winner and Olise one of the tournament’s leading creators, but Mbappé remains France’s central figure.
At Madrid, his relationship with Vinicius, the expectations surrounding both players and the club’s managerial changes have made that position more complicated.
A chance to strengthen his status
Mbappé is now two victories away from reaching a third World Cup final in three appearances.
A strong performance against Spain would reinforce his reputation as a player who reserves his best football for the biggest international occasions. It would also increase the pressure on Real Madrid to build a system capable of producing the same version of him every week.
The criticism from Madrid should not obscure what Mbappé has already delivered for the club. Forty-two goals in one season is an exceptional return.
What supporters are asking for now is something less easily measured: the authority, personality and command that have defined his World Cup campaign with France.
