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Real Madrid forward Kylian Mbappe has responded to criticism over his defensive contributions, saying a player who scores goals should not be considered a problem for his team.
Mbappe was reacting to questions about his willingness to track back and contribute defensively during matches for the Spanish club, according to ESPN.
“Everyone has their own point of view, but I think the goal of football is to score goals — to score one more than the opposition,” Mbappe told France Football.
“A player who scores goals will never be a problem for a team, because I’ve never seen a team win titles by scoring zero goals.”
The France international said criticism is inevitable for a player who has operated at the highest level for several years.
“I don’t think it’s normal, but that’s the life of someone who has lived at the pinnacle of excellence for years,” he said.
“If I don’t score, people ask why I’m not scoring. Everyone has known what I’m capable of for years.
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“And I think that’s where the human element comes in. It’s human nature to always focus on what someone isn’t doing… So, it’s not something I take personally.”
Mbappe, who is among the nominees for the 2026 Ballon d’Or, was Real Madrid’s leading scorer last season after finishing as LaLiga’s top scorer with 25 goals in 31 appearances.
The 27-year-old is also France’s all-time leading scorer with 66 goals, a record he reached during the 2026 World Cup.
Mbappe, who has scored five goals in five games for Madrid this season, said he has learned to deal with different forms of criticism.
“I think I have a fair relationship with criticism,” he said.
“Because there is constructive criticism and somewhat more absurd criticism.
“It’s not something that scares me when I have to make a decision. I don’t think I’m going to be criticized… I move forward without hesitation.”
