Kylian Mbappé is once again facing heavy criticism in Spain, particularly over his attitude and defensive effort, while his Real Madrid teammate Vinicius Jr is also coming under increasing scrutiny from the Spanish media.
It was a difficult weekend for Real Madrid. On Friday night, José Mourinho’s side suffered their first defeat of the La Liga season, losing 1-0 away to Real Betis. Two days later, Barcelona delivered an emphatic response by thrashing Valencia 5-0 and moving clear at the top of the league table.
After opening the campaign with three consecutive victories, Real Madrid have suddenly been brought back down to earth. The first major criticisms of Mourinho’s team are already emerging in Spain.
There have certainly been positives, including the performances of Dean Huijsen and Arda Güler. However, concerns remain over Real Madrid’s midfield and, more importantly, the team’s ability to consistently create chances against well-organised opponents.
Several players are also being singled out individually, with Vinicius Jr and Mbappé attracting most of the attention.
The French striker was particularly disappointing against Betis, despite enjoying a strong statistical start to the season with four goals in four league appearances. His overall performance in Seville was heavily criticised, and his attitude without the ball has once again become a major talking point.
Mbappé and Vinicius continue to divide opinion
Juanma Castaño, one of Spain’s best-known sports journalists and a presenter on Cadena COPE, suggested that Mbappé has still not completely won over the Real Madrid fanbase.
“There is a section of Madrid supporters who are not completely behind Mbappé,” Castaño explained. “There is still a kind of open wound among some Madridistas. I don’t know whether they have forgiven him for some of the things that happened in previous years.”
Castaño then referred to a conversation with a Real Madrid supporter who criticised Mbappé’s impact since arriving at the club.
The criticism included Real Madrid’s failure to win major trophies with the Frenchman, his perceived influence on some teammates and questions surrounding his commitment during certain stages of last season.
Mbappé was also discussed extensively on Cadena SER, where both he and Vinicius were criticised for their work rate.
🗣️ Journalist: "Is it fair that people say PSG won the Champions League twice because you left?"
— Madrid Zone (@theMadridZone) September 7, 2026
🚨 Kylian Mbappé: "I DON'T CARE. These headlines sell, and speaking about me sells VERY WELL." pic.twitter.com/Ti1mfa2J6Y
“Mbappé and Vinicius are very good players, but in modern football everyone has to run,” journalist Javier Herráez said. “They run when it suits them. If they ran a little more, it could help the rest of the team.”
Jesús Gallego went even further, insisting that Mourinho needs to demand more from his two attacking stars.
“Mourinho has to tighten the screws, especially with Mbappé and Vinicius,” he explained.
Marcos López also questioned their connection with previous Real Madrid coaches, arguing that neither player developed a strong relationship with Carlo Ancelotti, Xabi Alonso or Álvaro Arbeloa and that similar concerns are now emerging under Mourinho.
Real Madrid’s Champions League clash with Inter Milan on Tuesday night therefore arrives at the perfect moment. For Mbappé and Vinicius, it represents an ideal opportunity to silence the criticism, respond on the pitch and remind everyone why they remain two of the most dangerous attacking players in world football.
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