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What happened?
France star Kylian Mbappe continues to be exceptional for his country at the World Cup, where he has transformed from a player who played on individuality and selfishness into an integrated team leader who combines scoring and creating goals, presenting the version that Real Madrid fans have long waited without seeing during his two years in the Spanish club’s shirt.
According to French magazine L’Equipe, Mbappe has been impressive at the World Cup as he has become more involved in team play, preferring to pass and collaborate with teammates, given the individual goalscoring tendencies that accompanied him at Real Madrid.
The magazine notes that this transformation has made him one of the tournament’s most popular stars and re-opened the debate over the right to receive the Ballon d’Or this year.
Statistically, Mbappe has been putting up remarkable numbers for the French national team as he has scored 6 goals in 4 games with an assist every 58 minutes, as well as providing two assists with an assist every two games.
This season for Real Madrid, he scored 42 goals in 44 games with an assist every 90 minutes, and just 5 assists with an assist every 9 games, despite individual awards such as the Golden Boot and two Pichichi awards, without winning a group title in 9 tournaments with the Real.
Analysts believe that Mbappe represents the ideal version with France that Real Madrid fans wanted to see, as he was more tactical and partnered with teammates such as Douy, Olissey, Barkola and Dembele, while not showing the same enthusiasm alongside Vinicius, Brahim Diaz, Gonzalo or Bellingham in Madrid.
This controversy angered Real Madrid fans, who began to feel that the player had used the club as a stepping stone to prepare for the World Cup without giving him the performance he deserved.
Spanish journalist Juanma Rodríguez expressed this anger during the “El Chiringuito” program, saying: “Let’s be clear that Mbappe was going to play for France all year on Real Madrid members’ money, adding that ‘his real obsession is not to win the Champions League with Real Madrid, but to win his second star with France.’
Rodriguez pointed out that Mbappe was caught offside 60 times in the Spanish league, which he said reflected a “lack of concentration and focus” compared to his high discipline with his country’s national team.
Despite the criticism, voices in football circles are calling for Mbappe to win the Ballon d’Or in recognition of his excellent performance with France, combining efficiency and team spirit.
But on the other hand, many Real Madrid fans feel that the Frenchman has let them down, after he gave his country what they were denied to their club, stressing that he was never part of the team’s project, but just a passing star who used the club as a bridge to his personal glory.
