With 33 goals in 50 matches across all competitions, Kylian Mbappé is Real Madrid’s top scorer this season. Yet, questions are surfacing about his true impact at the club — and not from just anyone.
Former Real Madrid coach Fabio Capello, one of Europe’s most respected managers and a two-time La Liga winner with the Spanish giants, believes Mbappé is struggling to carry the weight of the iconic white jersey.
Despite the impressive stats, Capello isn’t convinced. In his eyes, numbers don’t tell the full story. His key criticism? Mbappé hasn’t stepped up when it’s mattered most. According to Capello, the French forward has failed to deliver in crucial moments, leaving Real Madrid without a serious edge in the season’s biggest competitions.
This year, Madrid crashed out of the Champions League in the quarterfinals after losing to Arsenal and currently trail Barcelona by four points in the La Liga title race, with just six games remaining. The Copa del Rey remains their only realistic shot at silverware — but even that final is against Barça, who have already beaten Madrid twice this season.
Capello knows the pressure and expectations at Madrid better than most. Having managed the team in 1996–97 and again in 2006–07, winning La Liga both times, he says Mbappé may not yet understand the reality of where he’s playing.
Speaking at the Laureus Sports Awards, Capello told Spanish media:
“The Real Madrid shirt is very heavy. Maybe he (Mbappé) hasn’t fully understood where he is playing yet. The problem is he’s not a center forward, and he and Vinícius have to play together.”
Capello also believes winning the Copa del Rey is now a must for Madrid to salvage their season:
“Everyone thought with Mbappé, Vinícius and Bellingham, Madrid would do well — but that hasn’t been the case. They must win a trophy this year. They have to win something.”
Earlier this year, Madrid were thrashed 5–2 by Barça in the Spanish Super Cup final — Mbappé scored but wasted several chances. In another Clásico back in October, he played the full match but failed to find the net in a 4–0 loss at the Bernabéu. Most recently, he also went goalless in both legs of the Champions League quarterfinal against Arsenal.
Capello criticized Madrid’s overall display in the second leg at the Bernabéu:
“It wasn’t what everyone expected. Madrid didn’t play like Madrid. There was no desire to fight back, no real quality in their game.”
These missed moments in key fixtures have not only hurt Madrid’s season but have also put manager Carlo Ancelotti under growing scrutiny. There are now ongoing debates in European football circles about how long Ancelotti will remain at the helm. Some outlets are even tipping Xabi Alonso as his likely replacement.
Capello, however, defended the current boss:
“I’m an ‘Ancelottista’. What’s happening to Ancelotti is unfair. He’s being disrespected, especially considering all the titles he’s won with Madrid.”
Mbappé, though consistent in scoring, has yet to become the clutch player Real Madrid hoped for. Time will tell whether he can rise to the occasion — or remain a talent weighed down by expectation.
