For several days, the Spanish press has been buzzing about a possible rift between Kylian Mbappé and Vinícius Júnior. Now a pundit, former legendary Real Madrid coach Jorge Valdano has given his take on the matter, pointing out what he believes is wrong and clarifying the situation.
Having joined Real Madrid last summer, Kylian Mbappé is under intense scrutiny from Madrid fans. Expected to be the key piece that would make the team shine, the French forward has struggled to find the ideal conditions on the pitch. For months, the Madrid press has raised concerns about a lack of chemistry between the former PSG star and Vinícius Júnior, who was the undisputed leader before his arrival. In recent days, Cadena SER has reported tensions between the two Madrid attackers, which could explain the lack of cohesion on the field. With his expert eye, Jorge Valdano has attempted to shed light on the issue.
Jorge Valdano’s take on Mbappé and Vinícius
A former Argentine international forward (1975-1990, 23 caps, 7 goals), Jorge Valdano also coached Real Madrid between 1994 and 1996 before later serving as sporting and general director. He did not hold back in his analysis. Speaking on Movistar, where he now works as a pundit, the 69-year-old Madridista pointed out that Kylian Mbappé and Vinícius Júnior are overcomplicating their partnership, something that has caught the attention of observers.
“They are two players who have a better relationship with scoring goals than with link-up play. People criticise them for not finding each other, but that comes down to their characteristics. They are both quick players who always have their eyes on the goal. I’ve also noticed that they sometimes try too hard to link up when the best option would be to shoot instead of passing. In reality, they look for each other more than they should just to avoid criticism,” Valdano explained.
To clarify his point, the former Real Madrid coach used another player in Carlo Ancelotti’s squad as an example. “There are other players, like Bellingham, who are naturally inclined to link up with teammates. That’s just his style of play. Asking a player to go against their nature is very difficult, as we see with Mbappé and Vinícius. People also say they don’t run enough, but I’ve coached Romário and Ronaldo, and making them track back was torture for them. It was simply impossible for these types of players to focus on endurance efforts,” he added.
“Chemistry in the dressing room is not mandatory”
Still on Movistar, the former Real Madrid striker (1984-1987, 120 games, 56 goals) dismissed the idea of any personal issues between Kylian Mbappé and Vinícius Júnior. Valdano made it clear that players do not need to be close friends off the pitch to develop a strong understanding on it.
“The idea that they don’t get along well enough and therefore don’t link up—I don’t buy it. I don’t know their level of friendship off the pitch, but chemistry in the dressing room is not mandatory. I’ve known players who had difficult relationships but still understood each other perfectly on the pitch and formed great footballing partnerships,” he concluded, as reported by Marca. The message has certainly been delivered.
With Carlo Ancelotti, one of the world’s best managers when it comes to squad management, Real Madrid’s young stars can continue working in peace, aiming to find the best way to shine together for the good of the team.
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