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From an individual standpoint, Kylian Mbappe’s free move to Real Madrid in 2024 has been an undeniable personal triumph. The relentless French forward has netted an outstanding 83 goals in his first 97 appearances for Los Blancos, including 39 across all competitions this season – a figure surpassed only by Bayern Munich’s Harry Kane among players in Europe’s top five leagues.

These are the same elite numbers he consistently produced at PSG, reaffirming his status as one of the most decisive players of his era. His clinical finishing, combined with his blistering pace, strength, and agility, allows him to dismantle defences with apparent ease.

However, as Mbappe’s stardom has grown, so seemingly has his ego. The 27-year-old thrives only when he is the focal point, and as Madrid’s most prized asset, the club has indulged that tendency. Mbappe refused to take a backseat to Neymar or Ousmane Dembele at the Parc des Princes, and now demands similar preferential treatment at the Santiago Bernabeu, often ahead of Vinicius Junior and Jude Bellingham.

It’s hardly a coincidence that PSG conquered their maiden Champions League title only after Mbappe’s departure. His presence made them predictable, and Real Madrid now face the same issue. Unless the current dynamic changes, the Spanish giants risk slipping into mediocrity both domestically and in Europe.

Prolific start and Ronaldo comparisons

To be fair, Mbappe’s early-season form was nothing short of phenomenal. He struck 27 goals in the first half of the campaign, including four in a breathtaking Champions League performance against Olympiacos that secured a 4-3 win for Real. He also opened the scoring in a 2-1 El Clasico triumph over Barcelona in October, a result that put Los Blancos five points clear at the top of La Liga after ten matches.

At that stage, comparisons with club legend Cristiano Ronaldo were everywhere. Mbappe responded modestly: “I want to follow my own path. Being mentioned alongside Cristiano is already an honour, but I just want to make my own way, help the team, and win as many titles as possible,” he told Marca.

Mbappe added eight more goals in Real’s final eight La Liga fixtures of 2026, but questions resurfaced about his overall impact as results deteriorated. Xabi Alonso’s side managed only four wins in that stretch, allowing Barcelona to snatch control of the title race.

Struggles under Arbeloa

Following a 3-1 Spanish Super Cup final defeat to Barcelona on January 12 – a match Mbappe missed due to a knee injury – Alonso was dismissed, and Alvaro Arbeloa was promoted from Castilla coach to the senior role. Yet, the coaching change hasn’t halted the decline.

Currently, Barcelona hold a nine-point lead atop La Liga with seven matches to go, while Real face an uphill battle to reach the Champions League semi-finals after a 2-1 home defeat to Bayern Munich in the first leg. Arbeloa’s men have won only once in their last four matches, including a damaging 2-1 loss to Mallorca, and Mbappe’s form has nosedived.

The Frenchman has scored just once in his last seven club appearances, with his shot conversion rate collapsing from 25 percent last season to just four percent, according to Diario AS. His timing couldn’t be worse for Real Madrid.

In the recent 1-1 draw with Girona at the Bernabeu, Mbappe registered an expected goals on target (xGOT) figure of only 0.14, lost possession 20 times, and won just four of 17 ground duels, offering little defensive or creative contribution.

A glimpse of a better balance

Arbeloa’s Madrid has shown flashes of potential. Between late February and late March, the team won six of seven matches, defeating Benfica and Manchester City both home and away in the Champions League, and routing Elche 4-1 in La Liga. Notably, Mbappe was sidelined throughout that stretch with a knee issue.

They also edged Atletico Madrid 3-2 in a pulsating derby, with Mbappe featuring only for the final 26 minutes. During this period, Arbeloa shifted from a 4-3-3 to a more compact 4-4-2 formation with Vinicius Junior and Brahim Diaz leading the attack, resulting in a visibly more cohesive unit.

With better width in attack, Vinicius rediscovered his Ballon d’Or-contending form from 2023-24, while Federico Valverde and Aurelien Tchouameni provided drive and stability. Defensively, everyone contributed fully.

Simply put, Real played as a true team – something that often doesn’t happen when Mbappe is on the pitch. Once Arbeloa reverted to the “feed Mbappe at all costs” approach against Mallorca and Girona, the points tally dropped significantly. When opponents cut off his supply or he misfires, Real seem to have no alternative plan.

Failing on the big stage

Despite scoring 44 goals in his debut season, Mbappe couldn’t inspire Real to a major trophy. His 31 La Liga goals accounted for nearly half of Madrid’s total of 78, still nine fewer than in their previous title-winning campaign.

In key moments, Real faltered. Mbappe was anonymous in their 5-1 aggregate loss to Arsenal in the Champions League quarter-finals, and though he scored five goals across his first four Clasicos, Barcelona won all of them. The team abandoned their disciplined structure, relying solely on Mbappe’s individual brilliance – a far cry from the formula that had earned them a record 15th European Cup.

This pattern has persisted. While Mbappe has scored vital goals against Barcelona and Atletico, and even kept Real in contention with a strike against Bayern, he has often gone missing in tougher games – including a 1-0 league defeat to Liverpool where he failed to register a single shot on target.

When Real have been tested, Mbappe has often come up short. His poor display in the 2-1 loss to Osasuna in February, where he recorded an expected goals (xG) of just 0.3 and failed to complete a dribble or contribute defensively, summed up his inconsistency.

The stark truth is that Real Madrid have regressed since Mbappe’s arrival. Barcelona now look miles ahead in La Liga and could dominate for years if Real do not adjust their approach.

Complacent mindset

Former PSG boss Luis Enrique once used basketball legend Michael Jordan as an example when urging Mbappe to defend from the front. “Michael Jordan used to grab all his teammates by the balls and defend like a son of a b*tch,” Enrique said. “You have to set an example, first as a person and as a player.”

That lesson seemed to stick with Ousmane Dembele, who transformed into a relentless presser and led PSG to a historic treble in 2024-25, ultimately winning the Ballon d’Or. Meanwhile, Mbappe slipped to seventh in the voting, seemingly forgetting Enrique’s words after moving to Madrid.

Mbappe himself admitted on The Bridge podcast during the March international break: “I’m a player who defends a little less than others, and sometimes that can be a problem. It’s true that I do it less, but I notice that when I do, it really impacts the team. At Real Madrid, when I do it, you can see that everyone else is doing it too.”

This mindset has hindered his progress. Instead of improving his work rate, Mbappe seems content to let teammates compensate for his lack of defensive effort. His unwillingness to press or track back leaves Madrid vulnerable, and even in attack, he drifts wide instead of making central runs like Karim Benzema used to.

Outshone by Kane

On Wednesday, Mbappe faces another test – outshining Bayern Munich’s Harry Kane, provided he recovers from a head cut sustained against Girona. Kane was pivotal in Bayern’s 2-1 win at the Bernabeu, not only scoring a fine goal from the edge of the box but also linking up superbly with Serge Gnabry and covering 10.5 kilometres, compared to Mbappe’s 9.3.

Bayern can rely on Kane to lead by example – scoring, creating, and pressing with equal intensity. Mbappe, by contrast, relies on flashes of brilliance. He has the talent to change a game in seconds but often frustrates with long spells of inactivity. His movement in the box, such as when he finished a Trent Alexander-Arnold cross against Bayern, shows he can be decisive – if only he did it more consistently.

Arbeloa has alternatives. He could deploy Diaz or Arda Guler centrally, or turn to Gonzalo Garcia, all of whom could bring more balance to the side. Many Real fans might even welcome benching Mbappe for a spell, as suggested by a website counting down the days left on his contract.

Mbappe clearly needs a wake-up call. If Real Madrid exit the Champions League at the quarter-final stage again, the club may have no choice but to deliver it – or begin searching for a new striker altogether.