Mbappe erases blind spots in his career

Once considered a star who only knew how to score goals, Kylian Mbappe is now perfecting himself with his defensive ability.

Mbappe was on the defensive.

Lessons from Luis Enrique and Xabi Alonso's philosophy have transformed the French striker into a more complete leader.

The 2025/26 season started with familiar numbers: 4 goals in 4 La Liga games, 2 penalties in the opening Champions League match against Marseille. Mbappe still plays the role of the biggest inspiration in attack, the fulcrum for the whole team. But the difference compared to before lies in the defense - something that was considered a blind spot in his career.

Mother and agent Fayza Lamari once told L'Équipe : "Mbappe hasn't defended since he was 4 years old." But the reality on the pitch is different. Mbappe now regularly rushes into disputes, pressing right in the opponent's half, ready to participate in recovering the ball.

Against Marseille at the Santiago Bernabeu on 17 September, Movistar cameras captured him recreating the familiar image of Ousmane Dembélé last season: a rugby defender, ready to rush straight at goalkeeper Gerónimo Rulli to put pressure. It was a clear demonstration of the change in his approach to the game.

The origins of this transformation began in Paris. In his final season at PSG, coach Luis Enrique used basketball legend Michael Jordan as an example to convince Mbappe. “Jordan doesn’t just score points. When he can’t attack, he defends like a madman, pulling the team forward. That’s leadership,” Enrique once emphasized. For a player who has always wanted to be a leader, this message touched Mbappe’s deepest pride.

Mbappe started listening to Luis Enrique's instructions.

At Real Madrid, Xabi Alonso turned that inspiration into a philosophy. BeSoccer Pro's numbers show the change: Mbappe has 2.53 recoveries per game, 0.56 interceptions, 2.25 recoveries in the opposition half and 0.84 in the final third. The number of quick ball recoveries after losing the ball has even increased to 1.27, while the frequency of defensive pressure has jumped from 0.98 to 1.55.

This is not a momentary excitement. It shows that Mbappe has truly embraced a new layer: from a star striker to a player who knows how to sacrifice, who knows how to lead by action.

Mbappé, at 26, is already a global icon with his speed, technique and killer instinct. But it is his defensive spirit and team spirit that make him a true leader. The shadow of Michael Jordan, the influence of Dembélé, the mark of Luis Enrique and the philosophy of Alonso have all contributed to shaping a more multi-dimensional Mbappé.

If before Real Madrid only had one superstar scorer, now they have a leader who can pull the whole team up both offensively and defensively. And this change can make the difference for Real in their journey to conquer the Champions League this season.

Source: https://znews.vn/mbappe-xoa-diem-mu-trong-su-nghiep-post1586248.html