Real Madrid News
Another former World Cup winner takes aim at Real Madrid superstar – ‘Needs to work more in Spain’
Criticism surrounding Kylian Mbappe has been growing steadily since his high-profile move to Real Madrid and the latest remarks have come from his home country, with former French footballer Vincent Candela offering his thoughts on the forward’s current situation.
Candela, a World Cup winner with France in 1998, has expressed reservations about drawing comparisons between Mbappe and Cristiano Ronaldo.
According to him, Mbappe has a lot of work to do to reach the Portuguese legend’s level. He highlighted that the French forward must improve in certain areas to adapt better to Spanish football and elevate his game.
“He needs to work more in Spain. He can still grow and become a stronger footballer,” he said as quoted by SPORT.
Main problem for Mbappe
One of Candela’s key observations is how Mbappe’s status has changed dramatically since leaving Paris Saint-Germain.
At PSG, Mbappe was seen as an icon, the face of the team, and someone who often carried the squad on his shoulders. At Real Madrid, however, he is merely one of several star players.
“At Real Madrid, Kylian Mbappe is one among many, while at PSG he was an icon,”
To reach the levels Cristiano Ronaldo achieved during his time at the club, Candela emphasised the importance of winning major trophies, particularly the Champions League.
“Hopefully Mbappe can follow Cristiano Ronaldo’s path at Real Madrid. But it is too early to compare them. First of all, he must win the Champions League, as the Portuguese did many times,” he noted.
Mbappe’s recent form has also come under scrutiny. Despite a solid start, scoring 8 goals in 16 appearances, he has failed to find the back of the net in his last four matches.
His last goal came against Celta Vigo on October 19. This goal drought has only added to the criticism, with everyone calling for him to rediscover his scoring touch and play a more decisive role for Real Madrid.
Real Madrid’s recent win over Villarreal certainly had its tense and controversial moments, most of them involving Vinicius Jr.
But the biggest silver lining for Los Blancos was Yan Diomande scoring his first goal for the club following his €140 million move from RB Leipzig.
Diomande’s slow start had made him a subject of much criticism in the media. In the first game after the international break, however, the forward opened his account, and he used the moment to pay tribute to his sister, who died at the age of 15, reports MARCA.
Diomande’s tribute to his late sister
On the hour mark, Federico Valverde slipped him through and the Ivorian finished low across goal for the game’s only strike.
Once VAR confirmed it, he walked away from his celebrating teammates, closed his eyes and broke down in tears, his gaze fixed on the sky.
He later explained the emotion in his post-match interview. “This means more than words can say. My first goal is for you, sister. Forever in my heart.”
Roxane died in 2025 at just 15, having believed in her brother long before anyone else did. From the age of ten she had acted as his biggest champion, and ahead of the 2026 World Cup, Diomande shared their story in a letter published in The Players’ Tribune.
“Everything I do on the field is for you,” he wrote.
Staking a claim for more minutes
Diomande’s goal against Villarreal also carried a lot of weight, in terms of his standing in the team.
“I’d been waiting for that first goal for a long time,” Diomande admitted on Real Madrid TV. His display offered a glimpse of his value, with four successful dribbles, the pace to stretch Villarreal and the movement to create space for Kylian Mbappe.
With Vinicius facing a possible and lengthened domestic suspension, the 19-year-old has a timely chance to claim a more prominent role.
He is also relishing a first taste of the Champions League. “It’s every child’s dream, and I’m very grateful to be doing it with Real Madrid.”
So it will be interesting to see whether or not Diomande gets more chances to perform in the coming matches, before Real Madrid prepare for the big fight against Barcelona.
