Kylian Mbappe warned he must 'work harder' at Real Madrid as fellow France World Cup winner dismisses Cristiano Ronaldo comparisons

Despite scoring eight goals in 16 matches since joining the European and Spanish champions, ex-Paris Saint-Germain forward Mbappe has faced criticism for his performances, with many saying he has failed to live up to the hype that surrounded his free transfer in the summer.

The 25-year-old has failed to find the net in his last four matches for Madrid and was mocked for his many offsides as his team were crushed 4-0 by Barcelona in October. Mbappe has been backed to turn his situation around at Madrid by 1998 World Cup winner Candela, who says the France star has a long way to go before he can be compared to club legend Cristiano Ronaldo.

"He has to work harder in Spain. He can still grow and become a stronger player... At Real Madrid, Kylian Mbappe is a player among others, while at PSG, he was an icon," Candela said in an interview with RB Sports, via Diario Sport. "I hope Mbappe can follow Cristiano Ronaldo's path at Real Madrid. But it's too early to compare them. First he has to win the Champions League, as the Portuguese has done several times."

Mbappe was left out of the France squad for their recent Nations League matches and will hope to be in good shape for Real Madrid's next match against Leganes in La Liga on Sunday.