Kylian Mbappe was the star of the show during the friendly against WSG Tirol, scoring a brilliant brace of beautiful goals in his first game wearing the number 10. It was poetic, to say the least.
I honestly can’t wait to see Mbappe play the upcoming season under Xabi Alonso. There is so much potential on both sides, and I think Real Madrid fans deserve to see some madness unfold after last season’s dismal campaign.
Coming back to the friendly, Mbappe was impressive because of his goals, both of those were brilliant and aesthetically pleasing, but something else made him stand out.
One of the biggest criticisms he faced last season was that he didn’t run enough. Yes, he scored plenty of goals, but he was often seen lagging on the pitch and not pressing as much as fans expected.
Kylian Mbappe's performance stood out for one reason (and it wasn't the goals)
Against Tirol, he made sure to change that. He was all over the pitch and ran far more than he used to. He was actively involved in pressing alongside other players, which helped Los Blancos retain 78% of possession while putting four goals past the keeper.
This might be the result of Xabi Alonso’s demands, with his forwards acting as the first line of defense and working to win the ball back as soon as it is lost. I think it is working exactly as intended.
Even Vinicius Jr, who didn’t contribute in terms of goals, used his speed to track the ball and win it back almost instantly whenever possession was lost.
This is a brilliant sight in contrast to the way the forwards conducted themselves last season under Carlo Ancelotti.
Mbappe ran one of the least distances in the team last season, but I think that is about to change.