When Real Madrid signed Kylian Mbappe as a free agent this past summer and gave him the most extravagant introduction they could at the new-look Santiago Bernabeu, they did so with the full intention of handing him the proverbial keys to the kingdom as the new face of the franchise - their heir to Cristiano Ronaldo and someone who they hope transcends the sport itself.
In his first season at the club, Mbappe has scored a bevy goals and has already surpassed Cristiano's output in his debut season, but to say he's been as good as Cristiano - or even close - from an all-around perspective would be a blatant lie. And when you look at how Real Madrid are playing as a team, there's no question that they are demonstrably worse than they were last season. Even with the same defensive issues, Real Madrid are less cohesive, more selfish, and less effective as a clear second fiddle to Barcelona in LaLiga and now on the verge of a humilitating Champions League crashout at the hands of Arsenal, of all clubs.
And Mbappe himself sunk to a new personal low - much lower than theself-proclaimed rock bottom moment against Athletic Club. His selfish, boorish performance against Deportivo Alaves is one of the worst single-game displays by any Real Madrid superstar in history, and that is not a hyperbolic statement. Because Mbappe's leg-breaking attempt of a tackle on former Real Madrid midfielder Antonio Blanco could come with a hefty suspension - and if the man's name were not "Kylian Mbappe", it would almost certainly come with a 10-game suspension.
Kylian Mbappe is now in a Catch 22 situation
The moment Mbappe leapt up into the air and purposefully targeted Blanco's leg, the thought that came into my mind was, "He just cost Real Madrid the title." Now, Real Madrid were able to rally and hold onto a 1-0 win over Alaves despite Mbappe's reckless, soulless challenge, but with him out for the next several games and potentially the Copa del Rey Final, this one unncessary action could have a devastating ripple effect on Real Madrid's season.
And if it doesn't, that might actually be a worse outcome for Mbappe's ego, which, based on his horrible tackle, may be what is driving his decisions more than any regard for his teammates or the club. Mbappe is in the kind of Catch 22 situation no superstar player wants to be in. If Real Madrid lose the LaLiga title and Copa del Rey without Mbappe, then he cost them two prestigious trophies and made the club clearly worse with his presence. And if they do win without him, then Real Madrid didn't need Mbappe after all and are a better overall team without him in the lineup. At least, that's what a significant number of fans in and out of Madrid will argue.
Conjecture aside, Mbappe's actions on Sunday were unbecoming of a Real Madrid superstar. With the title and cup on the line, Mbappe did not play for his team - an accusation that was already levied at him by previous coach Luis Enrique at PSG. And now, PSG are Champions League favorites and stronger than ever without Mbappe, whose best seasons at the club are now being dwarfed by Ousmane Dembele.
Kylian Mbappe put himself before the team
Mbappe made those criticisms look valid by not pressing, not creating, and not really even trying against lowly Alaves. He seemed more interested in taking cheapshots at Alaves defenders - even hitting one player in the head - instead of actually working to beat their marking off the ball. And when he couldn't get his way on the pitch, Mbappe got himself red carded with the most cynical and heinous of challenges - one that Blanco was very fortunate to walk away from.
The face of Real Madrid should be thinking about his teammates and winning first and foremost, not injuring opponents or getting into petty situations that risk the team's future results. Mbappe cared about his own ego and getting his way in the most awful manner possible, and he would have rather done that instead of doing his job to help the team win. It was a senseless act that put himself before the team and showed a key glimpse of his true character.
Mbappe is going to have to do some serious work to win back the trust of his teammates and the fans after pulling this stunt. Real Madrid have fought so hard against refs to penalize players for dangerous tackles on them, and now their biggest star is the perpetrator of the worst tackle of the 2024/25 LaLiga season. It was an embarrassing display of entitlement and immaturity, and it makes it that much harder to look at Mbappe as a leader and someone the club can trust to forge a new era going forward.