The media blames Mbappé

The aftermath of Real Madrid’s elimination at the hands of Arsenal has not gone unnoticed in France, where Kylian Mbappé has become a target of criticism.

Much of the commentary revolves around the fact that the forward left PSG to win his first Champions League title—and yet, in his debut season in Madrid, the Spanish giants have already been knocked out. Meanwhile, PSG remains in the competition, having eliminated Aston Villa and now standing on the brink of just their second European Cup final.

Mbappé at Real Madrid: “he’s been catastrophic”

Former PSG player Jérôme Rothen labeled Mbappé’s performance in the Champions League as a “failure.” He remarked: “Everyone’s talking about Kylian Mbappé. He joined his dream club with ambitions of winning every trophy, especially the Champions League, and to cement his place among the best players in the world—to win the Ballon d’Or.

"But both collectively and individually, he’s failed. He won’t win the Ballon d’Or this year. It’s a resounding failure. At the start of the season, people made excuses. They said he needed time to adapt. But when you’re Mbappé, that adaptation period is shorter. Sure, he’s scored a lot of goals, but in terms of his overall play, he’s been catastrophic.”

‘Is he solely responsible? Of course not’

Emmanuel Petit, speaking on Rothen s’enflamme, offered a more measured perspective, suggesting that the criticism stems from a broader resentment towards the French national team captain. “The hyenas are out and gloating. The criticism he’s been receiving since leaving PSG—it’s vicious. What did people expect? That he’d win the Champions League and Ballon d’Or right away? The season’s not over. Real Madrid can still win La Liga and the Copa del Rey. We’ll judge things at the end. Sure, Mbappé has a part to play in this, but is he solely responsible? Of course not. He’s scored around 30 goals—is that really a failure? You can’t reduce his entire season to a poor showing against Arsenal. That was a collective failure. The squad is poorly built.”

Major French outlets like L’Équipe, Le Parisien, and RMC Sport have also resurfaced a quote from Mbappé in 2023. After becoming PSG’s all-time leading scorer, he famously said: “If I tied my future to the Champions League, with all due respect, I would’ve left this club a long time ago.” At the time, the comment seemed bold. Now, in the wake of Madrid’s exit and PSG’s continued presence in the tournament—their first season without him since 2017—it has become a viral talking point in France.

L’Équipe dissected Mbappé’s performance, writing: “Without a shot on target or a real chance, the Frenchman never looked capable of leading a comeback. The first leg, ultimately, was just a breath of fresh air before the return—or perhaps a preview of what a semi-final against PSG could have been.” The paper also highlighted his underwhelming link-up with Vinicius Jr., calling it “disappointing,” and noted the stark contrast in fan sentiment: cheers before the match, followed by boos when he was substituted—due to injury—in the 75th minute.

Le Parisien echoed similar sentiments, headlining their article:“Kylian Mbappé: Injury, Elimination, and the Specter of a Trophyless Season.”They posed a provocative question:“Is PSG better without Mbappé than Real Madrid is with him?”A debate that began earlier this season is now gaining traction across France.

Meanwhile, RMC Sport journalist Daniel Riolo attributed Mbappé’s struggles to his positioning on the pitch:“If he keeps playing as a center forward, we’ll never see the best version of him again.”

Related stories

Real Madrid

How Real Madrid aim to derail Barcelona’s season

Argentina

Messi: "The goal I enjoyed the most was..."

Mbappé remains a hot topic in France, where every match and every minute he plays in a Real Madrid shirt is dissected with intense scrutiny.

Get your game on! Whether you’re into NFL touchdowns, NBA buzzer-beaters, world-class soccer goals, or MLB home runs, our app has it all. Dive into live coverage, expert insights, breaking news, exclusive videos, and more – plus, stay updated on the latest in current affairs and entertainment. Download now for all-access coverage, right at your fingertips – anytime, anywhere.