Real Madrid News
Real Madrid superstar Kylian Mbappe on PSG’s UCL glory: ‘I quickly congratulated them’
Real Madrid forward Kylian Mbappe has made one thing abundantly clear ahead of France’s World Cup campaign: personal records mean little if they do not lead to collective success.
The Real Madrid superstar, in a recent interview, delivered a series of comments regarding the World Cup and also about Paris Saint-Germain winning the Champions League.
While Mbappe is already among the most prolific players in World Cup history and has the opportunity to climb even higher on the all-time scoring charts, his focus appears fixed on bringing the trophy back to France.
Mbappe focused on World Cup success
France enter the tournament carrying the weight of expectation, but Mbappe is determined to ensure the squad remains grounded despite being considered among the favourites.
The Real Madrid forward first reflected on the team’s preparations and current condition ahead of the competition.
“I’m in good physical shape. I’m very happy to be with the national team. It’s an important moment for us.
“We’re starting to take a lot of things on board internally. We’ve had a good pre-tournament build-up.
“We’re aware that it’s going to be a tough road ahead. We’re ready to compete and try to reach the final.”
Mbappe also warned against becoming carried away by outside expectations and stressed the importance of maintaining focus throughout the competition.
“Why should we dampen the players’ enthusiasm? A World Cup isn’t a series of home-and-away matches. One bad game sends you home.
“We have to keep our emotions in check. These are messages I convey on a daily basis. We haven’t achieved anything yet,” he added.
Personal records take back seat
Despite already building a remarkable World Cup legacy, Mbappe insisted that individual milestones are secondary to team success.
The French captain was asked about his place among the competition’s greatest goalscorers and admitted he is proud of his achievements so far.
“It’s nice because I’m on a list of top goalscorers, though I’m not sure if it’s fair because they’re old compared to me (laughs).
“I’ve been lucky enough to play in two World Cups and go far, as well as performing well.
“Of course, I want to keep making history. But what I want most is to return to France with the World Cup,” he added.
Lastly, the Real Madrid star also revealed the positive atmosphere currently inside the French dressing room following Paris Saint-Germain’s recent Champions League success.
“I quickly congratulated my PSG teammates. It’s easier to console one teammate (Saliba) who’s lost the Champions League than five.
“It’s brilliant what they’ve achieved. I know what it’s like to lose a Champions League final and we’ve tried to console Saliba.
“The dressing room is in good spirits and now we’re focusing on our goal, which is the World Cup,” he concluded.
Source: AS
According to TeamTalk, Real Madrid have joined the growing list of clubs monitoring Gabriel Rajkovic, a 15-year-old winger whose rapid development at Valerenga has already attracted attention from several of Europe’s leading sides.
The Merengues are known for keeping an eye on exciting young talent across the globe and it seems that Rajkovic’s exploits in Norway, with the first team, have alerted them.
Real Madrid keeping tabs on Rajkovic
As per the report, Real Madrid are among a host of clubs closely following the progress of the young forward.
Rajkovic holds both Norwegian and Serbian nationality and has emerged as one of the most promising young players in Norway.
His development has not gone unnoticed, with Barcelona, Bayern Munich and Borussia Dortmund also understood to be monitoring him.
However, at this point, it is Arsenal and Chelsea, who are understood to be leading the charge for Rajkovic, having compiled a detailed dossier on the teenage prodigy after extensive scouting.
On top of that, the likes of Liverpool, Manchester City, Manchester United and Tottenham Hotspur have all watched Rajkovic in recent weeks.
Real Madrid could therefore face significant competition if they decide to step up their interest in a player who has already made an impression at senior level.
Making an impact at just 15
Rajkovic was handed a promotion to the Valerenga first-team squad in January earlier this year, when he was only 14 years old.
Following that, he signed a new contract with the club in March, when he turned 15, committing to the club until 2028.
Despite being only 15, the winger has already begun gaining experience in first-team football. In all, he has made 14 senior appearances for the Norwegian outfit, scoring three and assisting one goal.
Rajkovic has also represented Norway Under-16s, making two appearances and scoring once despite being younger than many of his teammates.
Those numbers become more impressive when his age and stage of development are taken into account.
Real Madrid have built a reputation for identifying young talent well before players reach their peak, and Rajkovic has now emerged as another name on their scouting radar.
But given the number of clubs in the race, signing the teenage wonderkid will not be easy.
