Ex-Real Madrid boss claims Kylian Mbappe is a victim of 'abuse' & makes 'best in the world' claim

Kylian Mbappe has found himself under the microscope following a period of transition at Real Madrid, but Jorge Valdano is adamant that the forward's quality remains beyond reproach. Despite the noise surrounding his performances in Spain, the former Blancos boss was quick to point out Mbappe’s incredible pedigree on the international stage as proof of his elite standing.

Speaking to Movistar, Valdano offered an impassioned rebuttal to the doubters, stating: "He has won a World Cup and has been runner-up in another, scoring three goals in the final. We are not talking about a fraud; we are talking about perhaps the best player in the world at this moment."

The discourse surrounding Mbappe has intensified as Paris Saint-Germain continue to find success in the Champions League without him, while Madrid have endured a somewhat inconsistent campaign. Valdano feels that the individual is being forced to shoulder far too much of the blame for collective team issues and the contrasting fortunes of his former and current clubs.

Valdano went as far as to label the current scrutiny as a form of mistreatment, given Mbappe's statistical output in the Spanish capital. He added: "To put the responsibility for everything good that happens to Paris Saint-Germain and everything bad that happens to Real Madrid on this man, who is the top scorer in the championship, seems like abuse to me."

Previously, Madrid president Florentino Perez launched a passionate defence of the Frenchman, labelling him their "best player" despite a turbulent campaign at the Bernabeu. The club president addressed the fallout of a season that saw Los Blancos fail to secure major silverware, blaming a gruelling fixture schedule rather than his marquee signing.

Despite finishing second to Barcelona and exiting the Champions League in the quarter-final, Perez refused to point fingers at Mbappe. "Kylian is the best player of Madrid at this moment," Perez told La Sexta.

Despite Madrid’s trophy-less season, Mbappe officially secured the 2025-26 Pichichi Trophy after scoring in Real Madrid’s 4-2 victory over Athletic Club on the final day of the season. The goal took the France international to 25 league strikes for the campaign. The French striker finished ahead of Mallorca striker Vedat Muriqi, who ended the season with 23 goals.

The Los Blancos star also led La Liga in total shots with 63, underlining his attacking influence throughout the campaign. The achievement makes him the first player since Cristiano Ronaldo (2014 and 2015) to win the award in consecutive seasons for Real Madrid.