The Mbappé conundrum at Real Madrid… A magical solution or a technical and psychological crisis?

When Kylian Mbappé first arrived at Real Madrid, many saw him as the magic solution to all their attacking woes, given his formidable goal-scoring ability and tactical versatility, which allows him to play in multiple positions up front, whether as a centre-forward or a dynamic winger.

Indeed, Mbappé did not disappoint on an individual level, shining remarkably in terms of statistics and producing impressive goal-scoring figures, culminating in him winning the Golden Boot last season, cementing his status as one of the most dangerous strikers in the world.

However, on the other hand, this individual brilliance did not translate as expected into the team’s collective performance; his presence did not add many solutions to the system, and there were even signs of a lack of cohesion in the attack, which raised questions about the true extent of his influence within the team.

Despite Kylian Mbappé’s individual brilliance since joining Real Madrid—scoring 82 goals and providing 11 assists in 95 matches across all competitions, whilst playing alongside a host of star players—he has failed to lead the team to major trophies, a fact that has surprised fans and observers alike.

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This stands in contrast to previous periods, when Real Madrid lacked the same constellation of stars but nevertheless managed to achieve significant results and titles, raising major questions about Mbappé’s ability to make a collective impact within the team compared to the past.

Against this backdrop, the Spanish press has begun to criticise the player, questioning the extent of his real contribution to the team’s system and emphasising that individual statistics are not enough to mask gaps in collective performance.

Some have also begun to speculate on the reasons behind Mbappé’s decline, with analysts suggesting that the club has not yet fully utilised his potential, either tactically or in exploiting his diverse attacking abilities, which adds to the uncertainty surrounding his true role at Real Madrid.

Mbappé suffered a knee injury early last month, raising serious concerns about the ‘Merengues’ ability to rise to tough challenges, whether in the Champions League against Manchester City or in the Madrid derby against Atlético Madrid, particularly with a new manager at the helm, the Spaniard Álvaro Arbeloa.

Strangely, however, the team performed in a manner completely at odds with expectations, appearing more cohesive and collective, with a variety of attacking options ranging from shots from outside the box to pinpoint crosses, as well as making the most of the movement of players coming from deep, such as Valverde, Brahim Díaz and Arda Güler.

Thanks to this teamwork, Real Madrid managed to put in a devastating performance, enabling them to knock out Manchester City and secure victory over Atlético Madrid in the capital derby, confirming that even without Mbappé, the team is capable of competing at the highest level.

Consequently, some have begun to suggest that Real Madrid might actually be better as a unit in Mbappé’s absence, opening up a debate about the extent of the French star’s influence on the team’s tactical cohesion compared to when he is not playing.

No one can deny Kylian Mbappé’s incredible talent and the impact he has on any team, but the situation was clear to everyone, particularly in Real Madrid’s La Liga match against Mallorca on Saturday, which the Whites lost 2–1.

The match saw Mbappé return to the starting line-up after an absence of more than a month, and strangely, the devastating teamwork that Real Madrid had relied on during his absence vanished completely as soon as he took to the pitch from the start.

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Real Madrid seemed to have forgotten the collective solutions that had proved successful during Mbappé’s absence, reverting to relying on a single approach: the French star’s speed in breaking into the space behind the defenders, and his individual ability to penetrate and shoot, which reduced the effectiveness of the other players and restricted the team’s style.

It reached the point where most of Real Madrid’s attacking attempts after an hour of the match all came via Mbappé, to the extent that some players, despite having several attacking options, consistently preferred to pass to the French star. This suggests that his presence created a psychological dilemma for some players, as they felt compelled to pass to him without seeking other solutions, unlike what had occurred in his absence.

With uncertainty still surrounding Mbappé’s role at Real Madrid, the key question remains: how can the team capitalise on his immense talent without it negatively affecting the team’s cohesion? The solutions are not straightforward, but they are essential to maintaining the team’s effectiveness in big matches.

The first step lies in redistributing roles within the forward line, so that the team does not rely entirely on Mbappé’s individual pace, but instead utilises his intelligent movement to create space for his teammates as well.

In this context, deploying Mbappé as a left or right winger rather than a centre-forward could be a good solution, as it would allow him to move out wide and create space for his teammates, whilst still having a clear target man up front, all whilst retaining his ability to cut inside and shoot.

The second solution relates to the psychological aspect, as players need to boost their confidence in their individual choices and not feel pressured to always pass to Mbappé, whilst continuing to implement a collective plan that balances individual and team play, so that his abilities do not become a burden on the rest of the team.

On a tactical level, the solution may lie in adopting more than one attacking strategy suited to the nature of each match, so that the team can switch between intense collective play or capitalising on Mbappé’s individual abilities, whilst maintaining organised lines and balanced support for all the forwards, to ensure that cohesion is not lost during big matches.