Mbappé speaks with no red lines: Real Madrid secrets and his stance on Vinícius, Yamal and Mourinho
France captain speaks on all the issues
Kylian Mbappé, the Real Madrid star, opened up on many important topics surrounding his experience with the royal club, from the decision to move to the Spanish capital right up to the beginning of a new chapter in his career wearing the shirt of one of the world's biggest clubs.
Mbappé sat down for an exclusive interview with the Spanish newspaper "AS", where he spoke about his relationship with Real Madrid, the behind-the-scenes story of his move, and his ambitions at the club. He shared his view on the rivalry with Barcelona and talked about Lamine Yamal, Vinícius Júnior and the presence of Bellingham. He also touched on his previous experience with Paris Saint-Germain and his relationship with José Mourinho.
The French striker addressed the Ballon d'Or race too, along with his hunger for more titles with Real Madrid and the goal he wants to reach over the coming years. The interview laid bare plenty of detail about his career and his ambitions.
Here is the text of the interview:
Is Real Madrid the club you imagined when you were a child and dreamed of playing here?
Yes, exactly. I was waiting for the best club in the world, and to receive plenty of enthusiasm and love from Real Madrid's fans all over the world.
When I arrived here I already had a certain status, but when you become a Real Madrid player you move to another level, a higher level. I believe that if you want to become part of football history, you have to go through Real Madrid.
And did you find what you were looking for?
I have found more calm. In France I missed this calm to a greater degree. I wanted to learn a new culture and adapt quickly to the Spanish culture.
I still have some time ahead of me, of course, but I feel that I am better in Spain every day. I have not felt for a single moment that I am not happy here, except at the beginning when I did not have a home. When you do not have a home, you feel something strange, because you always want to return to your house and stay with your family. And once I had my home, I was always happy in Madrid and Spain.
Real Madrid, Spain and the city of Madrid: was it as you expected?
Yes, 100%. It was not one bit less than I expected, not even by 1%. Playing at the Santiago Bernabéu every week is a huge privilege, and getting all this support from the fans is wonderful. I found something in Spain that I did not expect, as I received support from all over the country.
I love living here very much. This was the first time I have lived outside my country, and it was an important moment in my life, and I am very happy that I made this decision. Playing at the Bernabéu is always exciting because of its legendary status and its history. Every match represents a new opportunity.
Florentino Pérez had been chasing your signing for years until he finally succeeded. What role did he play in your move?
He is the person who brought me here. We stayed in touch throughout the ten years before I arrived. He always showed affection and understanding in every decision I made, whether those decisions were positive or negative for Real Madrid. He always told me that one day I would play for Real Madrid, and here I am, and I am very happy. So I must thank him for everything he has done and continues to do for me. He is the best club president in the world.
Was there something specific that convinced you to move to Real Madrid?
To be honest, nothing and no one needs to convince you to move to Real Madrid. In my story with Real Madrid, I wanted to come, but that was not possible earlier. In football there are moments and decisions that do not depend on you.
There is a question of timing in football, and you have to wait until everything is right for the move. Everyone who was with me knew that I would want to play for Real Madrid at some point. There was never any doubt about my desire to come, but sometimes when it is not possible, you cannot avoid that, and you have to accept it. Of course there is disappointment, but a footballer's life is built on looking forward, not back.
No one needed to convince me to come to Real Madrid, not even Florentino Pérez, despite his great standing. It was clear to me.
I have played under the leadership of Ancelotti, Xabi Alonso, Arbeloa and now with Mourinho. What is your comment?
The four managers are important figures in football. It has always been a privilege to be part of the careers of these four. I learned from all of them because each one has a completely different way of seeing football. They are all winners in their careers, and you always learn from them.
But it's true that it's different with Mourinho. He is one of the most intelligent people I have seen in my life. He is a leader. I knew that before he arrived, but when you see him every day, you realise he is an exceptional person and a legendary manager who has left his mark on his era and will continue to do so with us, certainly.
Did Mourinho challenge you to score 50 goals?
No, he did not set a number for me, he simply asked me to score goals. I don't set limits or a specific goal target for myself, because you don't know what will happen during the season, and setting a certain number of goals means putting limits on yourself, and I don't want that.
If I score a lot of goals I will be very happy, and if I score fewer I will be happy too, but I work in every match to help my team and I focus on every moment.
What do you say to those who think all you do is score goals?
That is their opinion. Over the years, and with the experience I have gained, I have learned that everyone has their own opinion in football, and you have to accept that. Sometimes they have the same vision as you, and sometimes it is different. There is no single way to win in football, there are millions of ways, and that is why I am always open to listening. There are people who only look to provoke or hurt, but I am always open to talking with anyone who wants to discuss football based on a clear idea and a defined vision, whether they see it one way or another. And you can also learn from that.
The Ballon d'Or looms on the horizon: what does a player need to win it?
Perhaps that will be the result of a good year, but it does not depend on me.
My goal is always to help my teammates, to give my utmost, and to convince the people who vote. In the end, these are people like you, who vote. My job is limited to convincing the voters through football.
Which player do you favour to win the Ballon d'Or this year?
This is not my concern, because I do not think about what I can do to win it. What matters most to me is that the Ballon d'Or returns to Real Madrid, because it is the best team in the world. It must return to the Bernabeu and to the Real Madrid fans, and return to all these people to give them happiness.
These people deserve it more than anyone else. When you are a player at Real Madrid, you have to compete for every award. The Ballon d'Or is an award, and I will fight to try to bring it back to Real Madrid. There are many players who have succeeded in bringing it here, and I want to be one of them.
Individual awards are important, but the time has also come to build collective successes. Isn't that right?
This is part of building the victories and team titles that will come in the second half of the season.
We cannot sleep for six months and then say we want to win everything. Football does not work that way, and it is not that easy.
That is why we are now focusing heavily with the coach, the club and the system we have in place. We are very focused on what we need to do, but we have to prove it on the pitch, as is always the case.
Should team players be friends?
We must be good, united, and work towards a common goal, which is success and glory. Are you a friend to everyone at the newspaper "AS"? This has become more prominent with the new generation of fans, because social media puts everything in the spotlight.
If one of them does not shake the other's hand, or if someone does not smile, the talk begins. But this is normal. We know that things are like this, and we try to do our best so that untrue things do not appear. The most important thing is Real Madrid.
Who do you gel with more: Vinícius or Bellingham?
They are very different. On the pitch they do completely different things. There are aspects of the game where I am better with Jude, and others with Vini or Guler or Brahim or Diomande or Espani.
Espi will score a lot of goals this season, he has a special relationship with the goal.
Which player would you sign for Real Madrid?
Cristiano, Zidane, Ronaldo, if they can return, quality is never lost.
Real Madrid icons, all three. They gave a great deal to the club and still hand its fans plenty of excitement.
We turn to the World Cup: what happened against Spain?
They won, and in football when you win you are right.
I think we got the game plan wrong from the start, and then when you are up against a side that likes to keep the ball and have possession, and you are a goal down, it becomes even harder.
It was not a good day for us, and in the World Cup there is no two-legged tie like in the Champions League.
We did not produce the performance we should have, it is as simple as that. And I think it was a chance for us, but we will work to earn other chances.
What happens when you go three or four matches without scoring? Do you become obsessed with it?
I don't wait for three or four matches, one match is enough for me. The match in which I don't score is difficult, but I love this feeling, because a player who is used to scoring constantly, when he doesn't score in two matches, people notice it and talk about it.
This gives you some anger, so you go into the next match with greater determination to settle it. It hasn't happened often in my career that I have gone through several consecutive matches without scoring. People encourage you, and if you handle it well, it gives you more determination, and everything can return to normal.
Is scoring an easy thing?
No, because if it were easy, everyone would score goals. Not everyone scores, and that is not a bad thing. Everyone has their role on the pitch. Not everyone scores, and not everyone passes well or presses.
For me, scoring goals is the hardest thing, but football is not easy in any position.
At Real Madrid, which represents the pinnacle of world football, everyone here, on the pitch and off it, is among the elite in their profession. It is not easy.
Yamal recently said that he and you are the two best players in the world. What is your response to that?
He is a very talented player, and I have a feeling he will have a great career. I wish him, his family and everyone around him all the best.
Real Madrid is a team of the highest calibre stars in the world. Is Dioumande at this level?
He is at a stage in his career where we are building the relationship between the players and the group, and Diomande is part of that at the moment. Since he arrived at Valdebebas, we saw from day one that he has the quality.
People talk a lot during matches about the 140 million figure and things of that sort.
He is a young player of 19, but the quality is there. We can see it, and he has already proven that he has special abilities.
We are trying to protect him, him and all the players in the squad, because in the end we will need everyone. The season is very long, and if we want to compete for all the titles, we cannot rely on just 11 players.
And now it is time for the derby. It is a special match, isn't it?
It's a match we always want to play, one that carries a lot of tension. We know the derby means a great deal to Real Madrid's fans and to us as well. These are the kind of matches you long to play, and in this case away from home.
I very much enjoy playing away from the Bernabéu.
That's where players' character shows, and it's important to have character in matches like these.
We want to continue our winning run, with sacrifice, commitment and character.
Is Barcelona the biggest rival this season? They have started the season very strongly.
Good for them, I don't like talking about other teams because I'm not with them and I don't know what they're doing.
They have won some matches, but the season is still in its early stages.
He sent a message to the Real Madrid fans, who sometimes feel anxious
The message is ambition and demanding more. This is Real Madrid, and I understand that. As with everything, there is a context.
Sometimes we win and they see the match as having been difficult, and sometimes it is not. We need the Bernabéu now, because it is the best stadium in the world, and we have the best fans in the world. When the fans are with us we become much stronger.
I also understand the scale of the demands. We did not win anything last season, the fans are already tired of that, and part of that is natural.
They must also understand that if we want to win titles, we will not do it without them. With all the quality and all the commitment, we will not win without them. What I am asking is that we move together, hand in hand. That way we will be much stronger.
