Kylian Mbappé used his post-match remarks after Real Madrid’s 2-1 Champions League win over Inter to name the trophy as his foremost ambition at the club, according to Marca. The France international scored Real Madrid’s opening goal of the night after being set up by Brahim, and used the platform afterwards to make clear that lifting the competition in white is what he wants above all else.
The declaration carries extra weight given where Mbappé stands in his career. At 28, he has yet to win the Champions League, and Marca notes that it stings him to be reminded that Paris Saint-Germain lifted the trophy in the two most recent editions without him on the roster. That context, as much as anything, appears to have turned the pursuit of the trophy into something close to an obsession for the forward.
Advertisement
What Mbappé actually said
Speaking to CBS Sports Golazo when asked about the Champions League and the Ballon d’Or together, Mbappé was direct in ranking his priorities. According to Marca, he explained that the Ballon d’Or is a goal he has already spoken about and sees as a real opportunity this year, but that winning the Champions League with Real Madrid matters more to him because it is the club of his dreams, and that there is nothing he wants more than lifting it in Madrid.
He was similarly candid in the pre-match press conference, telling reporters, as relayed by Marca, that the squad wants to achieve something special and become a collective capable of competing with the best teams in the world. He acknowledged that last season’s Champions League campaign was difficult for the team, but said Real Madrid must always aim for the top and that he hopes this year’s group can compete collectively to get there.
Mbappé also touched on working under Mourinho, saying, per Marca, that the manager makes players feel alive and active in their work, while also applying considerable pressure and intensity in training. He described Mourinho as someone who communicates constantly with the squad about what he expects from them, adding that when a coach gives that kind of trust and creates that kind of pressure, players do not want to let him down.
Advertisement
A trophy-first framing for the season ahead
Taken together, the comments position the Champions League as the clear, stated target of Mbappé’s season rather than individual recognition. His goal against Inter gave the ambition an immediate on-pitch marker, even though Marca notes he was not especially sharp in front of goal beyond that finish. By his own account, reaching that target depends less on personal form than on Real Madrid functioning as a genuine collective against Europe’s best.
Read the full article here