Mbappe’s goals make him Real Madrid’s natural leader, says Valdano

Jorge Valdano says Kylian Mbappe’s goalscoring influence makes him a leader at Real Madrid, after the France forward scored twice in a 2-1 El Clasico victory over Barcelona at Camp Nou.

Valdano, a former Real Madrid player and manager, praised Mbappe’s finishing and authority after the striker decided the match with his two goals. Speaking on Movistar Plus Deportes alongside former Barcelona player Gerard Lopez, Valdano also discussed how Real Madrid’s performance has changed in the absence of Vinicius Junior.

The Brazilian missed the match while serving a four-game suspension following an incident involving Villarreal.

Valdano argued that leadership in football is not defined solely by wearing the captain’s armband. He said players could lead through their technical ability, their emotional influence or their social standing within the squad.

“How can someone who leads you to a goal in every match not be a leader?” Valdano said of Mbappe.

“Leadership means influence, and someone who scores a goal has more influence than anyone else, doesn’t he?”

The former Real Madrid manager described Mbappe as “extremely intelligent” and said the forward commands the attention of his team-mates without needing to deliberately take on the role of captain.

Mbappe’s performances have come during an impressive season, with the Frenchman scoring 14 goals and providing three assists in 13 matches.

Lopez, meanwhile, offered a more contentious assessment of Real Madrid’s display without Vinicius, suggesting the team had benefited from the Brazilian’s absence.

“Real Madrid are better after Vinicius left. That is the reality; the team is now more balanced,” said Lopez.

“Without Vinicius, this team runs more and runs better.”

Lopez also singled out Brahim Diaz, describing him as the best player in the match.