Cameroonian-born attacker, Kylian Mbappé has reflected on how hitting “rock bottom” after missing a crucial penalty earlier this month helped him turn around his form.
Mbappé’s penalty miss during a 2-1 loss to Athletic Club on December 4 sparked heavy criticism of his performances.
The setback came at a time when Madrid was struggling for consistency in the first half of the season, and the French forward’s form was under intense scrutiny following his move from Paris Saint-Germain.
However, Mbappé has since bounced back, scoring a goal and providing an assist in a 4-2 victory over Sevilla on Sunday in La Liga.
This followed his first goal for the club in the FIFA Intercontinental Cup final against Pachuca in Qatar, where he also secured his second trophy with Madrid.
Reflecting on his recent performances, Mbappé shared, “I can do a lot more,” Mbappe said. “I know that I have a lot more in my legs. In the last few games, I’ve played better.
“The game in Bilbao was good for me. I hit rock-bottom; I missed a penalty. It was the moment to realise that I have to give my all for this shirt and play with more personality.”
Mbappé’s penalty miss against Athletic followed another miss earlier in the season against Liverpool in the UEFA Champions League, and shortly after, he had refused the chance to take one against Getafe. Since then, the forward has found his rhythm, scoring six goals in December alone.
“We’ve improved in recent months,” Mbappe said. “It was a difficult game, we were a bit tired after the trip to Qatar. But we did well, from the start, scoring good goals, playing on the front foot. I think Madrid fans will be happy today.
He also noted his improved understanding with his teammates, stating, “I think we’ve gotten to know each other better,” he added. “I came into the team and that changes a lot of things, but now, as [manager, Carlo Ancelotti] has said, my adaptation has finished and I feel good. We can see on the pitch that I understand my team-mates better, and the whole team is playing better.”
Mbappe has so far scored 13 times in all competitions for Real Madrid.
