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Spain’s World Cup semi-final defeat by France not only marked the end of the Roosters’ campaign at the tournament, but also marked the end of what has been described as one of the toughest seasons of Kylian Mbappe’s career. After failing to lead Real Madrid to the top podiums, his dream of regaining his global luster through the World Cup, he now embarks on a new phase with the biggest title yet.
2026 was far from what Kylian Mbappe had hoped for. After a disappointing second season with Real Madrid, the World Cup arrived to give him a golden opportunity to reclaim his place among the world’s best players, in addition to keeping his dream of winning the Ballon d’Or alive.
Things were looking up for the French forward until they faced Spain in the semi-finals, before Luis de la Fuente’s side took complete control of the game, denying France a place in the final. He also prevented Mbappe from adding to his tally of eight goals in the tournament, thus ending France’s journey in the tournament, which he won in 2018 and was on the verge of retaining in 2022.
The defeat in Dallas brought the curtain down on a difficult season for Mbappe, who will take three weeks off before returning to training at Real Madrid in the first week of August in preparation for a new season full of pressure and challenges.
Although Mbappe has been one of Real Madrid’s most prominent attacking elements since joining the team, his individual numbers have failed to make up for the club’s collective decline. He scored 44 goals in his first season, during which the team was content with winning two minor titles. He then scored 42 goals in his second season, but the team exited the season without achieving any major championships.
The comparison seems harsher when compared to what Real had achieved before Mbappe’s arrival, as the club enjoyed a successful season, winning five out of a possible six titles, including the Champions League and La Liga, before he joined. Paris Saint-Germain also managed to climb to the throne of Europe in the two seasons following the French star’s departure, which many saw as proof that the Parisian team had managed to get out of the phase of dependence on Mbappe.
Mourinho… the biggest challenge
This is the level Mbappe is aiming to reach with Real Madrid and hopes to reach under Jose Mourinho, the manager who played a key role in turning Cristiano Ronaldo into a non-stop goalscoring machine.
During his time with the Portuguese manager, Ronaldo surpassed the 50-goal mark more than once in a season, before reaching the peak of his performance, scoring 60 goals in the 2011–2012 season, which is considered one of the best Spanish league seasons in Real Madrid’s history.
Cristiano was 27 at the time, the same age as Mbappe is now, while the Frenchman’s career best remains 44 goals, which he achieved twice. The first one is with Paris Saint-Germain in the 2023-2024 season, and the second one is with Real Madrid in the 2024-2025 season.
Mbappé’s goals tally dropped to 42 last season after he suffered a knee injury that caused much controversy in the corridors of the club and its effects on the medical staff. He informed about this newspaper”Brand:“Spanish.
Criticism is not limited to technical aspects, as some of the player’s movements off the field, including his repeated trips to France accompanied by the club’s professionals and his partner, have surprised Real Madrid fans who expected more focus from him during one of the team’s most difficult periods.
With a disappointing end to the World Cup, Mbappe understands that the next round will be a turning point in his career. Talent alone is no longer enough, and individual goals no longer guarantee success, while his biggest dream remains to enter the widest gates in Real Madrid’s history, a dream that requires him to rise to a new level, just as Cristiano Ronaldo did when working under Jose Mourinho.
