Kylian Mbappé’s Real Madrid Struggles: What’s Going Wrong?
0, 0, 1, 0, 0, 0, 0, 1. Those numbers aren’t a secret code or a lottery ticket—they’re Kylian Mbappé’s goal tally in his last eight games for Real Madrid. For a player of his caliber, it’s a shocking stat. In fact, it’s his worst goal-scoring run at the club level since 2021. And now, some restless Madridistas are starting to ask the unthinkable: Is this really the player we’ve been waiting for?
When Mbappé signed with Real Madrid last summer, it was nothing short of a spectacle. Over 70,000 fans packed the Santiago Bernabéu to welcome the French superstar, who arrived as a free agent from Paris Saint-Germain. The hype was real. This was supposed to be the club’s biggest signing since Cristiano Ronaldo joined 15 years earlier. The plan? Mbappé would elevate an already great team to untouchable heights, scoring goals for fun and leading Madrid to another LaLiga title.
But here we are, a third of the way into his debut season, and the narrative is far from the fairy tale fans envisioned. As Real Madrid prepares for a crucial Champions League clash against Liverpool at Anfield, Mbappé finds himself under a level of scrutiny he’s never faced before.
Under the Microscope
In coach Carlo Ancelotti’s pre-match press conference ahead of Sunday’s LaLiga game against Leganés, five of the 13 questions were about Mbappé. Reporters grilled Ancelotti on everything from Mbappé’s positioning to his training habits, and even irresponsibly speculated about his mental health. The pressure is mounting, and it’s not just coming from Spain.
Mbappé’s absence from the last two France squads has only added fuel to the fire. National team coach Didier Deschamps urged the media to “leave [Mbappé] alone,” but his vague reasoning for leaving out his captain—saying Mbappé wanted to play but he decided otherwise—did little to calm the storm.
Ancelotti, to his credit, remains optimistic. “It’s just a matter of time,” he said, and Sunday’s 3-0 win over Leganés offered a glimmer of hope. Mbappé scored from a new role on the left side of the attack, a timely boost ahead of the Liverpool showdown. But Madrid needs more than just a goal here and there—they need Mbappé to deliver a statement performance to silence the doubters.
Breaking Down the Numbers
Let’s get into the cold, hard stats. So far this season, Mbappé has nine goals in 17 appearances across all competitions, with seven in 12 LaLiga matches. That makes him Madrid’s second-highest scorer, trailing Vinícius Júnior, who has 12 goals in all competitions and eight in LaLiga.
But here’s the kicker: while Vinícius is outperforming his expected goals (xG), Mbappé is underperforming. His seven LaLiga goals come from an xG of 8.83, and in the Champions League, it’s even worse—one goal from an xG of 2.68. For a player who consistently overperformed his xG during his six seasons at PSG, this is uncharted territory.
Mbappé has taken 57 shots in LaLiga, the most of any player in Spain’s top flight. Yet only 47.4% of those shots have been on target, ranking him 125th among forwards in Europe’s top five leagues. His conversion rate? A disappointing 12.3%, placing him 48th in LaLiga and 230th in Europe. For context, Robert Lewandowski boasts a 31.9% conversion rate, while Erling Haaland sits at 19.4%.
Beyond the Goals
Scoring isn’t everything, especially at a club like Real Madrid. Mbappé’s predecessor, Karim Benzema, was known for his selfless play and ability to create chances for teammates. So how does Mbappé stack up?
- Mbappé has created 13 chances in LaLiga this season, far behind Barcelona’s Raphinha (44) and even teammate Vinícius (29).
- He’s registered just two “big chances created,” compared to Raphinha’s 14 and Vinícius’ seven.
- His passing stats are solid, with an 85.5% completion rate, but his progressive passing success rate is just 17%.
Mbappé’s trademark dribbling remains a bright spot. He’s logged 113 progressive carries in the opposition half, ranking fifth in LaLiga. But even this hasn’t been enough to mask his struggles.
Defensive Concerns
Here’s where things get ugly. In 12 LaLiga games, Mbappé has made just one tackle. He’s recorded zero clearances, zero interceptions, and zero blocked shots. His defensive interventions total just 18, compared to Raphinha’s 80 and Vinícius’ 31. Critics have been quick to share clips of Mbappé strolling back on defense while his teammates scramble to recover possession.
Mbappé’s lack of defensive effort has even sparked concerns about its impact on the team’s overall work rate. He and Vinícius are among the top three forwards in LaLiga who spend the most time walking during games. While Mbappé does average 35 sprints per game, it’s clear his off-the-ball contributions leave much to be desired.
The Road Ahead
Sunday’s performance against Leganés was a step in the right direction, but it wasn’t groundbreaking. Mbappé scored a simple tap-in and had another goal disallowed for offside. With Vinícius sidelined for three to four weeks, the pressure on Mbappé to deliver against Liverpool is immense.
Real Madrid fans are still waiting for the Mbappé they were promised. Whether he can rise to the occasion remains to be seen, but one thing is certain: the clock is ticking.
Originally Written by: Alex Kirkland
