Kylian Mbappé has responded to criticism regarding his defensive commitment at Real Madrid.
The French forward, who is among the nominees for the 2026 Ballon d’Or, believes those critics focus on what he doesn’t do, rather than what he does well on the pitch.
“I don’t think it’s normal, but that’s the life of someone who has lived at the pinnacle of excellence for years,” Mbappé told France Football when asked about those who criticise him for not tracking back enough during games.
“If I don’t score, people ask why I’m not scoring. Everyone has known what I’m capable of for years. And I think that’s where the human element comes in. It’s human nature to always focus on what someone isn’t doing… So, it’s not something I take personally.”
Mbappé was last season’s top scorer in LaLiga with 25 goals in 31 games.
He is France’s all-time record scorer with 66 goals, a record he achieved at the 2026 World Cup aged just 27.
“Everyone has their own point of view, but I think the goal of football is to score goals — to score one more than the opposition,” the former Paris Saint-Germain star said. “A player who scores goals will never be a problem for a team, because I’ve never seen a team win titles by scoring zero goals.”
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Mbappé, who is Madrid‘s leading scorer this season with five goals in five games, insists criticism doesn’t affect his play.
“I think I have a fair relationship with criticism,” he said. “Because there is constructive criticism and somewhat more absurd criticism.
“It’s not something that scares me when I have to make a decision. I don’t think I’m going to be criticized… I move forward without hesitation.”
