Kylian Mbappé Steps Up to Defend Vinícius Júnior Amidst Real Madrid's Struggles

In a week marked by the dismissal of Xabi Alonso, a painful cup elimination, and visible unrest at the Santiago Bernabéu, Kylian Mbappé faced the media as the undisputed leader of the Real Madrid dressing room. Calm but direct, the Frenchman avoided no questions and delivered several key messages both internally and externally. As the team’s top scorer with 30 goals this season, Mbappé acknowledged the fans’ frustration but made it clear that responsibility is collective and that the squad has the character to turn things around. “The Madrid fans are angry, but they are with us,” he said, recognizing the difficult moment without hiding from it. The strongest moment of the press conference came when Mbappé firmly defended Vinícius Jr., one of the players most targeted by recent boos. His message was blunt: Mbappé stressed that blame should not fall on one player alone and went further by addressing the human side of the situation: “He’s a person, a human being. It’s normal that it affects you. He’s a great player and an incredible man. We have to protect him better—me included.” The message was clear and public: Vinícius is not alone, neither in the locker room nor at the club. For Mbappé, when the Brazilian is happy, he makes the difference—and it is the group’s duty to help him regain that confidence. The forward confirmed that he spoke with the coach after the news broke and highlighted their strong personal relationship. He acknowledged that “things happened,” but reminded everyone that this is the reality of a club with maximum demands like Real Madrid. Now, he emphasized, the focus must be on supporting the new coach and defending the badge. Beyond individual names, Mbappé’s appearance delivered a broader message: unity, collective responsibility, and commitment. He understands the boos and the frustration, but also reinforced that the team’s job is to compete and respond on the pitch.