Kylian Mbapp won the match between France and Brazil at the Gillette Stadium thanks to his own goal and one from Hugo Ekitike. However, the 27-year-old forward has been the subject of controversy and criticism at Real Madrid.
Since joining Los Blancos, ‘Kiki’ has faced criticism for his performances in his first months at the Bernab. Although he has become a key figure in the team over time, he is not immune to criticism. Now he has broken his silence on this issue.
Mbappu responds to criticism
Since the French national team’s training camp in the United States, Kylian has faced negative comments in recent weeks, embroiled in controversy over an 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 that concerns the club and me creates combinations that everyone talks about and speculates about. Sometimes it’s right, sometimes it’s not,” Mbapp explained on Tlfoot (via Sport).
This is not the first time Mbapp has been the target of criticism. Since joining Los Merengues in the summer of 2024, he has faced harsh comments regarding his lack of performance, but he responded by later becoming Spain’s top scorer in La Liga and winning his first European Golden Boot award.
The 2018 World Cup winner also asserted that he is neither the first nor the only player to receive this kind of criticism at the club, pointing out that even the club’s greatest legends have experienced situations like this.
“At Real Madrid, you have to know how to deal with criticism. It happened with Ronaldo, it happened with Di Stofano… I don’t see why I have to be an exception. I just have to stay calm, concentrate and improve,” he said (via Fabrizio Romano of X).
Furthermore, looking ahead to the 2026 FIFA World Cup, the biggest competition in football, Kylian said that he is not thinking about it and is now completely focused on Real Madrid.
“In Spain, they are a bit worried that I will not play. They think that I will go to the World Cup right away, but that is not the case. The best way to reach the World Cup in the best condition is to win everything with my club,” he claimed.
Mbap, like CR7, has scored 59 goals in a year. Furthermore, this season, he is currently LaLiga’s top scorer and helped his team reach the Champions League despite suffering a knee problem in March 2026. However, he has yet to win a major title such as the Champions League since coming to Spain.
“We are still playing in La Liga and in Europe. We are playing against Bayern, who I think are the most in-form team in Europe right now, but if there is one team that can beat them, it is Real Madrid,” he declared.
