Valdebebas is where it all begins. On one side is AS; on the other, Kylian Mbappé (Paris, 1998). The occasion is Mbappé’s first interview as a Real Madrid player with a Spanish sports newspaper. The conversation offered a glimpse of a footballer fully committed to the club, confident in the decisions he has made—especially the biggest one of all: choosing to play for Real Madrid. “If you want to be part of football history, at some point you have to play for Real Madrid,” the Frenchman says.
You’ve now been a Madridista for two years and a few months. Is Real Madrid what that little boy who dreamed of playing here imagined it would be?
Yes, absolutely. I expected the best club in the world and a huge amount of excitement and passion from Madridistas all over the world. When I arrived here, I already had a certain status, but when you become a Real Madrid player, you move to another level—to a higher level. I think that if you want to become part of football history, you have to go through Real Madrid.
And have you found what you were looking for?
I’ve found more peace and quiet. I have less of that in France. I wanted to experience a new culture and adapt quickly to Spanish culture. I still have a little way to go, of course, but I feel like I’m getting more comfortable in Spain every day. I’ve never had a moment when I didn’t feel happy here. The only difficult period was at the beginning, when I didn’t have a home. When you don’t have a place of your own, it feels strange. You’re always looking forward to getting home and being with your loved ones. As soon as I had my own place, I was happy in Madrid and in Spain.
Do you ever dare to go out and take a walk around the city?
Yes, but not that often. I can go out a little. I have some peace and quiet, but... It’s normal. It’s part of the job and part of my life, and I fully accept that.
Are you enjoying life in Madrid?
Yes, I’m very happy living in Madrid. Honestly.
Real Madrid, Spain, and Madrid as a city. Are they what you expected?
Yes, 100%. Not even one percent less than what I expected. Playing at the Bernabéu every week is a privilege. Having so much support from the fans. In Spain, I’ve found something I wasn’t expecting: I’ve received support from people all across the country. I really enjoy living here. It was the first time I had ever moved abroad, and it was an important moment in my life. I’m very happy I made that decision. Playing at the Bernabéu is always exciting because of its legendary status and history. Every game is a new opportunity.
I remember a visit to the Bernabéu with PSG, and you could see how much you admired the stadium. We all thought, “He’s admiring what will soon be his home.” What were you thinking at the time?
It was a little different because playing for Real Madrid is a completely different feeling. When I came here with PSG, the Bernabéu renovation wasn’t finished yet. It was already a fantastic stadium, but there were still a few things left to be completed. I remember you saying that I was looking at it and thinking, “I’m going to play here...” I remember it very well. It was the day before the Champions League match, and there was a lot of noise inside the stadium. People were working, and there was a lot of noise coming from above, so we were all looking up because we thought the roof was going to come down on us.
People said I was excited about the stadium, and of course I was. It was a fantastic and historic stadium. But at that moment, there was just a lot of noise. Ever since my presentation, and in every game I’ve played here, I’ve had the feeling that it’s something special.
Does playing at the Bernabéu still give you that same feeling?
Yes, always. Always. It’s a legendary stadium. You feel the weight of its history, and every game is different. Everyone forgets what has happened before and focuses on what’s about to happen. Every time, you have an opportunity to do something new, and that’s not something you find in every stadium in the world. I know that the team and I are going to experience many more magical nights at the Bernabéu. There’s no better place in the world to experience one of those magical nights.
Florentino Pérez pursued your signing for many years before finally making it happen. What role did he play in bringing you to Madrid?
He is the person who brought me here. We stayed in contact throughout the ten years before my arrival. He always showed affection and understanding regarding the circumstances behind every decision that was made, both the positive ones and the ones that were not favorable for Real Madrid. He always told me that one day I would play for Real Madrid, and here I am—very happy as well. That’s why I have to thank him for everything he has done and continues to do for me. He is the best president in the world.
Was there any particular detail that convinced you to come to Madrid?
If I’m being honest, nothing and no one should have to convince you to come to Real Madrid. In my story with Madrid, I wanted to come, but it wasn’t possible at the time, and in football there are moments and decisions that are out of your control. Football is about timing, and you have to wait until everything is aligned before you can make the move.
Everyone around me knew that, at some point, I wanted to go to Real Madrid. There was never any doubt that I wanted to come, but sometimes when something isn’t possible, there’s nothing you can do about it—you just have to accept it. Of course, there is disappointment, but a footballer’s life is about looking forward, not looking back. No one had to convince me to come to Real Madrid, not even Florentino Pérez, no matter how influential he is. It was something that was simply obvious.
Was your final year at PSG difficult?
Of course. And not everything is known. It’s simply part of the journey of my life. I don’t think that, two years later, I need to criticize anyone. It was 100% difficult, but it’s in the past now, and it was another part of the journey that I had to go through to achieve my dream.
You’ve played under Ancelotti, Xabi Alonso, Arbeloa… and now Mourinho.
All four are important figures in the game. It’s always a privilege to be part of the journey of all four of them. I learned something from each of them because they have very different ways of seeing football. They’re all winners with great careers, and you always learn from them. But it’s true that with Mou, it’s something different. He’s one of the smartest people I’ve ever met in my life. He’s a leader. I knew that even before he arrived, but when you see him every day, you realize that he’s a very special person and a legendary coach who has shaped his era and will continue to do so with us. I’m sure of it.
Has he challenged you to score 50 goals?
No, he hasn’t given me a number. He’s just told me to score goals. I never set limits or specific goals for the number of goals I want to score, because you never know what can happen over the course of a season, and setting a target means putting a limit on yourself. And I don’t want to do that. If I score a lot of goals, I’m very happy; if I score fewer, I’m happy too. But I work hard in every game to help my team, staying focused every moment.
The best example was that assist to Espí to win the game in Elche, wasn’t it?
Of course. It’s obvious. I’d rather win, and sometimes you have to pass the ball. I think I could have scored, but Espí was completely unmarked and it was 100% going to be a goal. I never even considered taking the shot.
What do you think about those who say you only score goals?
That’s their opinion. Over the years, with experience, I’ve learned that in football, everyone has their own opinion, and you have to accept that. Sometimes they see the game the same way you do, and sometimes they see it differently. There’s no single way to win in football—there are millions of ways. That’s why I’m always open to listening. There are people who are only looking to provoke you or cause harm. But when people genuinely want to talk about football, with a clear understanding and philosophy of the game, I’m always open to hearing different perspectives. You can learn from that too.
The Ballon d’Or is on the horizon. What does a footballer need to win it?
It may be that you’ve had a great year. But it doesn’t depend on me. My goal is always to help my teammates, give my very best, and win over the people who vote. In the end, they’re people like you, the ones who vote. My job is simply to convince the voters—and to do it through my football.
Is convincing people through your football your main argument?
Always. Always. It’s the foundation of everything I’ve done throughout my career. Everything starts on the pitch, because I think I can speak well with my words, but I speak even better when I let my feet do the talking. I always want to express myself through my football. That’s the best way. Everything else is part of football, but I always try to focus on the pitch and on what I can do when I play.
Which players are Mbappé’s favorites to win it this year?
That’s not my concern, because I don’t think about what I can do to win it. The most important thing for me is for the Ballon d’Or to return to Real Madrid, because it’s the best team in the world. It should come back to the Bernabéu, to the Madridistas, to all those people, and give them something to be excited about. They deserve it more than anyone.
Being a Real Madrid player means competing for every individual award. The Ballon d’Or is one of those awards, and I’m going to fight to try to bring it back to Real Madrid. So many players have managed to bring it here before, and I want to be one of them.
This is the time for individual awards, but also for laying the groundwork for collective success, isn’t it?
It’s also about laying the foundations for the team trophies that will come in the second half of the season. We can’t switch off for six months and then say we want to win everything. Football doesn’t work that way; it’s not that easy. You can’t do that. That’s why we’re very focused right now—with the manager, the club, and the structure we have in place. We’re fully focused on what we need to do, but we have to prove it on the pitch. As always.
Do the players in a team have to be friends with one another?
We have to get along, stay united, and work toward a common goal, which is success and glory—for AS in your case, and for Real Madrid in mine. Are you friends with everyone at AS? I think that’s more of a new-generation fan thing, because with social media, everything is under the microscope. Someone didn’t shake hands, someone didn’t smile... But that’s normal. We know that’s how it is, and we try to do our best so that things that sometimes aren’t true don’t get portrayed as reality. The most important thing is Real Madrid.
You can’t spend all day, every day, explaining yourselves...
I think the same way you do, but the problem is that then people start explaining things on my behalf. It’s a very complicated issue, but all we think about is Real Madrid winning. Madrid is more important than anyone, more important than every relationship, more important than every individual ambition. It’s Real Madrid.
Who do you link up with better: Vinicius or Bellingham?
They’re very different. On the pitch, they do completely different things. There are aspects of the game where I connect better with Jude, others with Vini or Güler, Brahim, Diomande, Espí... I think Espí is going to score a lot of goals this season. He has a real knack for finding the back of the net.
Which player would you sign for Real Madrid?
Cristiano, Zidane, Ronaldo—if they could all come back. Cristiano would come back. Zizou still plays a little sometimes. And Ronaldo... quality never fades. They’re Real Madrid legends. They’ve given so much to the club, and they still generate so much excitement among Madridistas.
Let’s talk about the World Cup. What happened against Spain? Were they really as superior as it seemed?
They won, and in football, when you win, you’re right. I think we got our game plan wrong from the start, and then against a team that likes to keep the ball and dominate possession, being a goal down makes things even more difficult. It wasn’t a good day for us, and at the World Cup, it’s not like the Champions League—there’s no second leg. We didn’t play the game we needed to play. It’s as simple as that. I think it was an opportunity for us, but we’re going to work hard to make sure we have other opportunities.
France have won a World Cup, finished runners-up, and reached a semi-final in recent years. Is France the best national team?
I always say that the team in control is the team that wins, and right now, Spain are the team in control because they’ve won, and we have to accept that. Even though we’re always in the fight, anyone who watches the games can see that we’re always competing for every trophy. We have the quality, the team, the players, but you have to give credit where credit is due. Spain have won, and they are the best team in the world. Right now, Spain are the best.
And who is the best player at the World Cup?
There are several players who have really stepped up at this World Cup. After that, it comes down to personal opinion and how you see the game. Some people will name one player, others will name someone else. We’ve seen a lot of quality throughout the tournament. There are stars who came here and showed that they really are stars. It was a good competition, with plenty of goals and a lot of success, and I think people will look back on this World Cup with good memories.
France have won a World Cup, finished runners-up, and reached a semi-final in recent years. Is France the best national team?
I always say that the team in control is the team that wins, and right now, Spain are the team in control because they’ve won, and we have to accept that. Even though we’re always in the fight, anyone who watches the games can see that we’re always competing for every trophy. We have the quality, the team, the players, but you have to give credit where credit is due. Spain have won, and they are the best team in the world. Right now, Spain are the best.
And who is the best player at the World Cup?
There are several players who have really stepped up at this World Cup. After that, it comes down to personal opinion and how you see the game. Some people will name one player, others will name someone else. We’ve seen a lot of quality throughout the tournament. There are stars who came here and showed that they really are stars. It was a good competition, with plenty of goals and a lot of success, and I think people will look back on this World Cup with good memories.
Is scoring goals an art?
It’s more than just an art. I think it’s a way of being, a way of seeing football on a daily basis, of having an obsession with scoring goals. All the players who have scored a lot of goals have had that kind of relationship with scoring. They know it’s something special because it’s a feeling we know very well and always want to experience. It’s a sense of joy, a feeling of fulfillment that you always want to have.
And is it easy?
No, because if it were, everyone would score goals. Not everyone scores, but that doesn’t mean it’s a bad thing. People tend to see it that way. Everyone has a different job on the pitch. Not everyone scores goals, not everyone plays great passes, not everyone presses... For me, scoring goals is the hardest thing, but football isn’t easy in any position. At Real Madrid, which is the elite of world football, everyone here—both on and off the pitch—is at the top level of their profession. It’s not easy.
When you receive the ball near the box, what do you look at first: your teammate or the goal?
It depends, because that’s where the final decision is made. In Elche, I looked for my teammate, whereas when I scored earlier, I looked at the goal. Every moment is different. There’s a different context every time. It depends on who you’re with, where you are, and what stage of the game you’re in. Every second, you’re taking in a huge amount of information, and you have to make a decision quickly.
That’s why sometimes you don’t make the right decision. Everything happens so fast that sometimes you think you’ve made the best choice, and a second later you realize you haven’t. But that’s what makes football magical. The derby is coming on Sunday, and only what happens there will matter. Everything that came before will be irrelevant.
Titles are always decided at the end of the season, but you can’t afford any lapses now...
The collective trophies we want to win at the end of the year are being built right now. You have to lay the foundations for your team, build the collective level, the unity, everything. It’s especially important for us because we have a new coaching staff and a new setup. We’re in the process of building toward our success in the second half of the season.
Is scoring goals an art?
It’s more than just an art. I think it’s a way of being, a way of seeing football on a daily basis, of having an obsession with scoring goals. All the players who have scored a lot of goals have had that kind of relationship with scoring. They know it’s something special because it’s a feeling we know very well and always want to experience. It’s a sense of joy, a feeling of fulfillment that you always want to have.
And is it easy?
No, because if it were, everyone would score goals. Not everyone scores, but that doesn’t mean it’s a bad thing. People tend to see it that way. Everyone has a different job on the pitch. Not everyone scores goals, not everyone plays great passes, not everyone presses... For me, scoring goals is the hardest thing, but football isn’t easy in any position. At Real Madrid, which is the elite of world football, everyone here—both on and off the pitch—is at the top level of their profession. It’s not easy.
When you receive the ball near the box, what do you look at first: your teammate or the goal?
It depends, because that’s where the final decision is made. In Elche, I looked for my teammate, whereas when I scored earlier, I looked at the goal. Every moment is different. There’s a different context every time. It depends on who you’re with, where you are, and what stage of the game you’re in. Every second, you’re taking in a huge amount of information, and you have to make a decision quickly.
That’s why sometimes you don’t make the right decision. Everything happens so fast that sometimes you think you’ve made the best choice, and a second later you realize you haven’t. But that’s what makes football magical. The derby is coming on Sunday, and only what happens there will matter. Everything that came before will be irrelevant.
Titles are always decided at the end of the season, but you can’t afford any lapses now...
The collective trophies we want to win at the end of the year are being built right now. You have to lay the foundations for your team, build the collective level, the unity, everything. It’s especially important for us because we have a new coaching staff and a new setup. We’re in the process of building toward our success in the second half of the season.
Lamine said the other day that you and he are the best players in the world...
He’s a hugely talented player, and I have the feeling that he’s going to have a great career. I wish him, his family, and everyone around him all the best.
Real Madrid are a team full of world-class stars. Is Diomande at that level?
He’s at a certain stage of his journey. We’re still building relationships between the players and developing the team as a collective, and Diomande is part of that process right now. From the moment he arrived at Valdebebas, we saw on the very first day that he has quality.
Then people talk a lot during games about the €140 million price tag and all that. He’s young—he’s 19—but the quality is there. We can see it, and he’s already shown that he has something special.
We’re trying to protect him, just as we do all the players in the squad, because ultimately we’re going to need everyone. A season is a very long journey, and if we want to compete for every trophy, we can’t do it with just eleven players.
And now the derby, a special game.
It’s a game we always want to play. There’s a lot of intensity and tension around it. We know how much the derby means to Madridistas, and it means a lot to us too. These are the kind of games you look forward to playing—especially in this case, away from home. I really enjoy playing away from the Bernabéu. That’s where you see a player’s character, and it’s important to show personality in games like this. We want to keep winning and maintain our momentum, with sacrifice, commitment, and character...
Is Barcelona the main rival this season? They’ve made a very strong start.
Good for them. I don’t like talking about other teams because I’m not there, so I don’t know what they’re doing. They’ve won some games, but it’s still the beginning of the season.
Send a message to the Madridistas, who can sometimes get a little restless, so to speak.
The message is one of high expectations. It’s Real Madrid, and I understand that. As with everything, there’s a context. Sometimes when we win, people see that it was a difficult game, and sometimes it wasn’t as difficult. What we need now is the Bernabéu behind us, because it’s the best stadium in the world, we have the best fans in the world, and when they’re with us, we’re much stronger.
But I also understand the high expectations. We didn’t win anything last season, and people are already tired of that. There’s a part of it that I understand and that’s completely normal. But they also have to understand that if we want to win trophies, we’re not going to do it without them. No matter how much quality we have or how committed we are, we won’t win without them.
All I’m asking is that we move forward together, side by side. That’s how we’ll be much stronger, and that’s how we can compete for everything.