Vinicius and Mbappe are not meant for each other.

Kylian Mbappe has not found common ground with Vinicius.

The answer, at least for now, is still no. The clearest evidence is the 0-4 loss to PSG in the semi-finals of the FIFA Club World Cup 2025 on July 10 - where the two brightest stars of the Spanish Royal team completely disappeared, on an evening that was expected to be theirs.

Against a top opponent, in a big game, the duo only brought a small number: 1 shot on target, 2 successful dribbles. And all without any sharpness. They did not make a difference. They did not create a connection. They were, after all, just two independent individuals in a system that needed to be connected.

Separate from the numbers

Vinicius left the pitch in the 65th minute with just 21 touches and 10 successful passes. That was just a few more than the substitutes, and even less than Militao, a centre-back who came on later. Mbappe played the full 90 minutes, touching the ball 27 times and completing 12 passes. Between them, they had just one shot on goal - a harmless effort from a tight angle from Mbappe.

No one broke through, no one supported, no one coordinated. What Xabi Alonso was waiting for - the coordination of two "speed supermen", ended up being a void of expectation.

Xabi’s plan is not wrong. In theory, he has created a fluid attack, constantly switching positions. But by putting Mbappe and Vinicius together, he has left them in each other’s space. Both are left-footed, both need space to accelerate, both want the ball at their feet. And then, instead of helping each other, they dilute each other.

Mbappe and Vini can train together, but it's difficult to play together.

The heat map of the match painted a sad reality: Mbappe and Vinicius were operating in the same areas, with the same intentions, but there was no connection. The same thing happened under Ancelotti, and now it is happening again with Xabi. If anything, it is the person on the touchline who is directing.

Real Madrid legend Jorge Valdano once commented subtly on this issue: “They are players who have a better relationship with the goal than with the game.”

Exactly. Mbappe and Vinicius are natural-born goalscorers, who thrive on speed and instinct. But because of that, they often play as “soloists”. In situations where they should have finished, they pass to avoid being seen as selfish. And in moments when they need to coordinate, they turn away to find their own space.

They seek each other, but not sincerely. They coordinate, but not in harmony. They stand side by side, but not in the same music.

Xabi Alonso - leader or neutralizer?

After the game, Xabi did not single out any individuals. He spoke about the team, about mistakes that needed to be acknowledged, and about “not repeating the same stupidity”. A gentle but clear reminder: Mbappe and Vinicius are a problem, not because they are bad, but because they cannot play together.

Between Vini and Mbappe, Xabi Alonso can only choose one.

Since leading Real, Xabi has always emphasized two words: collective and pressing. But in that system, Vinicius and Mbappe are two out of sync links. Gonzalo - the young striker - is the one leading the pressing list at the World Cup (averaging 37 times/match). And the two big stars? Vinicius has 30, Mbappe only 25.

What does that show? That in addition to not being tactically cohesive, they are also not ready to sacrifice for the team. For Xabi, a truly world-class player needs not only to score goals, but also to fight without the ball, move, support, cover - things that are less glamorous but indispensable if you want to win the title.

It is fair to say that this is only their first game together. It is fair to say that it will take time for two great stars to find each other. But top-level football does not allow for waiting too long. Xabi will have to make a choice - either find a formation that allows them to thrive together, or accept that they cannot coexist.

A team cannot live on its name. A victory does not come from the image on the cover of a magazine, but from the coordination on the field. Real Madrid may have two of the most expensive names in the world . But if they cannot play together, it is just a problem… too many facts but no solution.

There is no doubting the talent of Vinicius and Mbappe. But talent does not automatically create understanding. And if they cannot become a duo, they will become each other's obstacles. The defeat to PSG is not a disaster, but a warning. Because there is nothing more terrifying than possessing the ultimate weapon, but not knowing how to use it.

Real Madrid need answers. And Xabi Alonso, for all his tactical brilliance, needs to answer soon. Because next season is just around the corner. And because if they don’t find a way to get their two stars to shine together, there will come a time when they will be just two lonely stars, fading in disappointment.

Source: https://znews.vn/vinicius-mbappe-von-khong-thuoc-ve-nhau-post1567628.html