Dismissing all rumors of a rift, Kylian Mbappé said his relationship with Vinícius Júnior is “very good.”
Two lions in one jungle—or two kings in one kingdom—it’s bound to cause tension, right? That’s what people often say about Vinícius Júnior and Kylian Mbappé. Stories of their supposed rivalry have been circulating for months. But Mbappé has now put all speculation to rest, saying his bond with the Brazilian star is great and only getting stronger with time.
Before Mbappé’s arrival, Vinícius was the biggest star at Real Madrid. With his dazzling performances, he was even seen as a Ballon d’Or contender. But after the Frenchman joined, the spotlight shifted sharply toward Mbappé, leaving Vinícius slightly in the shadows.
Their performances also told different stories. In his debut season for Real Madrid, Mbappé broke records and made an explosive start. The 26-year-old forward has continued that fine form this season. Vinícius, on the other hand, couldn’t quite replicate his brilliance from the previous year. His consistency dropped, and Mbappé’s arrival forced him to adjust both his position and playing style—something that clearly affected his rhythm.
Naturally, performance comparisons soon evolved into rumors of personal tension. Media outlets reported that Vinícius wanted a higher salary than Mbappé, which supposedly stalled his new contract talks. Some even claimed their strained relationship was affecting the team’s chemistry on the pitch.
However, in an interview with Movistar, Mbappé dismissed all those claims, saying the media exaggerated stories just to grab attention.
“When two famous footballers play for the same team… of course, such stories help sell newspapers. But the truth is, my relationship with Vinícius is very good. In fact, it’s even better this season because we’re getting to know each other more and more,” Mbappé said.
The French superstar also spoke about his national team. France, the World Cup 2018 champions and 2022 runners-up, are now fighting to secure their spot in the next World Cup—a qualification that seems only a matter of time.
At the moment, Mbappé admits that he considers Euro champions Spain the best team in Europe. But he also reminded everyone that when it comes to the World Cup, France are always a different side.
“In my opinion, Spain are the best team in Europe right now. But the World Cup is a different story,” he said.
