Kylian Mbappé expressed his joy after scoring his first hat-trick for Real Madrid but made it clear that his ultimate goal is to see the team win the league title.
Goals have been coming steadily for him, and he’s been showing consistency. With this match, he also savored his first hat-trick in a Real Madrid jersey. Now, the league’s top scorer is within touching distance. Yet, Mbappé emphasized that team success matters more to him than personal accolades. He stated he would be happier if Real Madrid secured the league title than if he became the top scorer.
On Saturday, Real Madrid comfortably defeated Real Valladolid 3-0 in La Liga, with all three goals scored by Mbappé.
Earlier, Atlético Madrid, second in the table, had dropped points by drawing with Villarreal. This gave Real Madrid the opportunity to extend their lead at the top, and Mbappé’s hat-trick ensured they seized it.
Speaking to Real Madrid TV after the match, Mbappé said the three points were more significant to him than his hat-trick.
“I’m happy with the hat-trick, but I’m even happier that the team won. Today’s victory was very important, especially since Atlético’s result put more pressure on us to win.”
In his last five matches, Mbappé has scored eight goals, bringing his tally to 15 in La Liga and 22 across all competitions. He’s now just one goal behind La Liga’s top scorer, Robert Lewandowski.
A few days ago, Vinícius Júnior told TNT Brazil, “Rodrygo and I will do everything possible to help Mbappé become the league’s top scorer because that’s why he’s here.” Responding to this, Mbappé downplayed individual accolades and reiterated the importance of team success.
“It’s great to hear such things from them, but I also want to help them. We’re all focused on the team’s success. It’s nice if I can become the top scorer… but it’s okay if I don’t. I’ve achieved that several times in my career (in Ligue 1). For me, winning the league title is what matters most.”
Carlo Ancelotti recently mentioned that Mbappé’s return to form is due to him being deployed in the center of the attack. However, Mbappé insisted that he has no preference for position and attributed his performance to adapting well to the team.
“From the first day I arrived, I said I could play in all three attacking positions. I don’t mind where I play. It was just a matter of adapting to a new club, and now I feel great. My movement and understanding with my teammates have improved, and I think you can see that on the pitch.”
Real Madrid coach Carlo Ancelotti is also delighted with Mbappé’s current form.
“He’s been here for a while now and is contributing so much to the team. It’s a great thing for us. About two months ago, he found his rhythm, and today he scored his first hat-trick for us. Congratulations to him—he’s an incredible player with immense quality.”
After 21 matches, Real Madrid leads La Liga with 49 points. Atlético Madrid is second with 45 points from the same number of matches, while Barcelona sits third with 39 points from 20 games.
