Real Madrid forward admits his passion is the only thing keeping him from being “disgusted” with the football world
Kylian Mbappe has said football is an unforgiving career where athletes are ripped to shreds for the slightest show of weakness.
The France captain said there is pressure to always show strength, which means that players often suppress how they feel, even when dealing with extreme mental exhaustion or stress.
“The reality is that people struggle to accept it,” Mbappe said. “You’re not supposed to show it. If you lose a match and say you’re tired, people say it’s because you played badly. Even if you felt that way before.
“At home, you can say it. Or when the context is right, like if you win the World Cup, you can say it. But after a defeat people won’t accept it.”
Mbappe joined Real Madrid in 2024 and ended his debut season as La Liga’s top scorer, winning the Pichichi Trophy. He also finished the season with 31 league goals, more than any other player in the club’s rich history.
This season he has already netted three in three games for Los Blancos.
His comments came in an interview with French magazine L’Équipe, only hours after he had scored his 52nd goal in 92 appearances for France. He said his personal standards mean that he does not mind the high expectations.
“I’ve never wanted to accept failure, so I don’t mind being criticised for it,” said Mbappe. “I’m very hard on myself, more than most people are, so I’m very comfortable with that.”
However, he confessed he would “never advise a child of mine to step into the football world”.
“People who go to the stadium are lucky to only come and see a show and not know what’s going on behind the scenes,” said Mbappe. “Honestly, if I didn’t have this passion, the football world would have disgusted me a long time ago.”
