Former Real Madrid player and executive Jorge Valdano has come to the defense of Kylian Mbappe, pushing back strongly against the criticism surrounding the French superstar following Madrid’s disappointing campaign.
Speaking in an interview with Movistar, Valdano argued that the scrutiny directed at Mbappe has become excessive and ignores both his individual quality and production.
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“Kylian Mbappe has won a World Cup and was runner-up in another, scoring three goals in the final,” Valdano said. “We are not talking about a fraud, we are talking about perhaps the best player in the world right now.”
Mbappe’s second season at Real Madrid has unfolded under immense pressure and expectation. Despite finishing as the team’s top scorer, much of the post-season discourse has centered around Madrid’s collective struggles and Paris Saint-Germain’s resurgence after his departure.
Valdano believes the narrative has unfairly turned Mbappe into the symbol of everything that went wrong at the Santiago Bernabéu while simultaneously crediting PSG’s success to his exit.
“To place the blame for everything good that happens to Paris Saint-Germain and everything bad that happens to Real Madrid on this man, who is the league’s top scorer, seems like an abuse to me,” Valdano added.
Valdano’s defense also comes at a time when comparisons between Real Madrid and PSG have intensified. PSG’s post-Mbappe evolution into a more balanced collective under Luis Enrique has led many to frame Madrid’s season as evidence that the Frenchman’s arrival disrupted the team’s chemistry. Valdano clearly rejects that interpretation.