'Two famous players on the same team sell a lot of papers' - Kylian Mbappe blames media for speculation about relationship with 'great player' Vinicius Jr at Real Madrid

Mbappe finally completed his much-anticipated move to Madrid in the summer of 2024, with Los Blancos becoming one of the most feared teams in Europe due to the potential partnership between him and Vinicius Jr. However, Mbappe's difficult first few months in La Liga coincided with a staggering drop in Vini's form. Reports from Spain indicated that the relationship between the duo was not "idyllic".   

Speaking in an interview with former Real Madrid player and manager Jorge Valdano for Movistar Plus, Mbappe said: “Two famous players on the same team sell a lot of paper, they sell a lot of things. I have a very good relationship with Vinicius. Much better this year, we got to know each other much better. He's a great player and, as a person, a very good person.

"We know people talk about us for everything, but we have the same goal: to help Real Madrid win titles. I think if we want to win titles, we have to be at our best and help the whole team."    

The duo have hit the ground running at the start of the 2025–26 season, wreaking havoc on opposition defences. Mbappe has netted 14 goals in his first 10 appearances, failing to score in just one match. Meanwhile, Vini has contributed five goals and four assists in league play.    

Together, they’ve produced 25 goal contributions, already linking up to score in three of eight league matches — a significant improvement from last season, when they were both on the scoresheet in just four of 26 league games.      

Los Blancos are currently sitting atop the La Liga table with 21 points from eight games, two points more than eternal rivals Barcelona. The two sides will meet on October 26 at the Santiago Bernabeu, but Alonso's side will have to overcome the Getafe and Juventus challenges before the Clasico.