Kylian Mbappé’s first campaign with Real Madrid has drawn mixed reviews, despite the French forward’s prolific scoring record.
With 41 goals across all competitions—a club record for a debut season—his individual brilliance has stood out, but it has not been enough to mask a lacklustre season for the Spanish giants.
Real Madrid failed to retain their La Liga title and exited the Champions League without silverware, outcomes that have tempered the excitement surrounding Mbappé’s high-profile transfer from Paris Saint-Germain.
Former France international Emmanuel Petit offered a blunt assessment of the situation in an interview with Marca, highlighting the club’s overall decline.
“Barcelona has shown that they are a much better team than Real this season.
Mbappé can’t do everything alone. He needed a real collective around him, which wasn’t the case,” said Petit, who won the World Cup with France in 1998.
Despite Mbappé’s record-breaking numbers, Petit described his first season in Madrid as “strange” and “paradoxical.” He noted the contrast between the forward’s scoring exploits and his absence in key moments. “I didn’t think he would score so many goals, but he hasn’t won a major title. He scored a hat-trick against Barça, but has been invisible in key matches, like the double-header against Arsenal.”
Petit also questioned the tactical adjustments made to accommodate the French striker.
He believes Mbappé was not used to his full potential, being deployed in an unfamiliar role that disrupted the balance of Carlo Ancelotti’s squad.
“He became the star in a team that had just won the Champions League. He had to play as a number 9, which is not his natural position. He did well, but it could have been much better with a team that was really structured around him,” he added.
For Petit, the underlying issue lies not with Mbappé’s performance, but with the team’s lack of unity and structure.
“Everything seemed disorganized. We may have great individuals, but it’s unity, soul, and collective spirit that wins matches. And that’s exactly what Real Madrid lacked.”
As the club prepares for a managerial transition, with Xabi Alonso set to take over next season, rebuilding team cohesion will be a key challenge.
The Spaniard inherits a squad brimming with talent but in urgent need of tactical clarity and collective purpose.
Mbappé’s explosive arrival was meant to elevate Madrid’s dominance—but without a unified team around him, that ambition remains unfulfilled.
