Kylian Mbappe says his exceptional standards fuel criticism of what he does not do

Kylian Mbappe believes his record of excellence has changed the way his performances are judged, with critics increasingly focusing on the aspects of his game he does not contribute rather than those he consistently delivers.

The Real Madrid and France forward said people had become accustomed to what he could produce after watching him perform at the highest level for many years.

“I think it is not normal, but that is the life of someone who has lived with excellence for years,” Mbappe told French newspaper L’Equipe. “I am no longer something new. Everyone has known for years what I am capable of doing. I think that is the human side of it.”

Mbappe argued that the scrutiny was a natural consequence of maintaining such a high standard over an extended period.

“It is normal that people always look at what someone does not do,” he said. “When someone has been doing something for 10 years, people no longer look at what they do. They know that person can do it. So they always try to focus on what they do not do. From that point onwards, it is not something I take personally.”

The former Paris Saint-Germain player also said he was able to distinguish between useful criticism and opinions that lacked logic.

“I have a balanced approach to criticism. There is constructive criticism, and there is criticism that is not logical,” said Mbappe. “Criticism does not frighten me. When I make a decision, I do not think about whether I might be criticised.

“If I know that a decision is right for me, or even if it is not but is necessary, my career has shown that I continue to move forward.”

Mbappe was also asked about suggestions that his presence could cause problems for his team despite the number of goals he scores.

“That argument seems less logical to me,” he replied. “If I do not score, they will ask me why I am not scoring.”

He said footballers had to accept that their performances would be assessed by a huge number of people, each with their own view of how a match should have been played.

“I have learned that when you are a footballer, there are millions of managers who have an opinion about every match, and not all of them are happy at home,” Mbappe said. “Everyone has their own point of view, but I believe the aim of football is to score goals and to score more than your opponent.”

The full interview with Mbappe was due to be published on the L’Equipe website on Friday 11 September, with the newspaper edition available in newsagents on Saturday.