Real Madrid forward says relationship with teammate “much better this year”
Kylian Mbappe has played down speculation of tensions with Real Madrid teammate Vinicius Junior, insisting they have a great relationship.
Vinicius has been in mixed form since Mbappe’s arrival at the club in the summer of 2024, while the Frenchman has taken over as the team’s main goalscorer.
Mbappe scored 44 times last season to win the 2024-25 European golden boot and La Liga’s Pichichi Trophy. This season he has netted 14 times in 10 games, far more than Madrid’s closest player Vinicius (5).
Meanwhile, there has been much speculation over Vinicius’s future at the club, with rumours that the player is demanding an improved contract with wages close to Mbappe’s and Madrid are willing to let him go rather than accede to those demands.
The Brazilian has also featured less consistently under new manager Xabi Alonso, not playing full time even once in the Spaniard’s first 13 games in charge.
But Mbappe dismissed any suggestions of some kind of rivalry affecting their relationship.
“I have a very good relationship with Vinicius. It’s much better this year because we know each other much better.
“He’s a great player and a good person. We know people are going to talk about us, but we have the same goal, which is to help Real Madrid win titles.
“If we want to win titles, we both have to be at our best.”
The France captain insisted that any rifts were likely manufactured for sensation.
“Two famous players on the same team sell a lot of paper,” said Mbappe. “They sell a lot of things.”
