Back in top form with Real Madrid, Kylian Mbappé is on everyone’s lips. The French striker is adulated in Spain by the press and even by Carlo Ancelotti, and this is starting to seriously annoy Vinicius Jr. Adil Rami, a former French international and Kylian’s ex-teammate, has made an unexpected revelation about the two Casa Blanca strikers.
Kylian Mbappé put in an outstanding performance in the last 16 of the Copa del Rey against Celta Vigo. After a personal exploit, he scored a spectacular goal that left the spectators speechless. Real Madrid, buoyed by their attacking duo, won 5-2 after extra time with a masterclass from Endrick, who scored twice during extra time.
However, it was not just the quality of the play that stood out. Adil Rami, Mbappé’s former team-mate in the French national team, pointed out an intriguing detail: Vinicius Jr’s reaction after Mbappé’s masterpiece. Far from celebrating spontaneously, the Brazilian stared directly at the referee, as if looking for a possible irregularity. According to Rami, his gesture spoke volumes.
‘Today, I’m not going to come down on him again, but I have the impression that the fact that Kylian is exploding at the moment may displease Vinícius Jr. When you’re a player, you see everything. When Mbappé arrived, he observed the situation, just as we know that players see and analyse everything. As players, we calculate absolutely everything: the competition, the little things that happen. We mustn’t be hypocrites,’ said Adil Rami in a video posted on social networks that Real de Madrid took care to translate.
Vinicius Jr is no ordinary player. The Brazilian winger, often considered a prodigy at Real Madrid, has seen his role as attacking leader called into question by the arrival of Mbappé. Mbappé, with a string of dazzling performances, such as against Barcelona a few days ago in Saudi Arabia in the Spanish Super Cup final, seems to be establishing himself as the new boss of the attack.
Tensions brewing between Mbappé and Vinicius? Adil Rami, a keen observer
Vinicius Jr’s signs of annoyance were not limited to this glance at the referee. Earlier in the match, a move by Mbappé exposed the Brazilian’s frustration. As Mbappé chose to try his luck solo, Vinicius gesticulated and muttered, visibly annoyed. ‘On the first action where Kylian doesn’t make the pass, you can see a form of annoyance between the two. Then Kylian scored a magnificent goal, absolutely splendid. But what really stood out for me was Vinícius’ reaction. He looked directly at the referee to see if it was offside. My opinion is that he’s not looking at it innocently, it seems to annoy him,’ continued Adil Rami.
However, far from allowing himself to be caught up in the tension, Mbappé was generous. After his goal, he tried to put Vinicius in a position to score. The action for the second goal, initiated by an exceptional pass from Mbappé to Brahim Diaz, enabled the Brazilian to find the net. It was a subtle reminder that teamwork takes precedence over egos.
‘I’m telling you this, even if you don’t agree with me. I’m not saying that Vinícius has a bad mentality, but Kylian has been getting ahead of him in recent days. Listen carefully: don’t twist my words. I said he’s overtaking Vinícius, OK? And I get the impression that Vinícius doesn’t like that. Maybe I’m wrong, only time will tell, but it seems to bother him,’ he added.
Could Kylian Mbappé’s rise to prominence be undermining the balance in the Madrid dressing room? For the moment, the tensions remain discreet, but this type of rivalry could quickly intensify. If Mbappé and Vinicius manage to turn this competition into a positive force, Real Madrid could benefit from a formidable attack. If not, this friction could weaken a team that aspires to glory on all fronts. Only time will tell whether these two footballing geniuses will choose to rise together or silently oppose each other. One thing is certain: the spotlight will remain on them.
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