"It is too early to compare them" - French World Cup winner highlights what Kylian Mbappe must do to follow Cristiano Ronaldo’s path at Real Madrid
Former France defender Vincent Candela has emphasized what Kylian Mbappe needs to do to match Cristiano Ronaldo's achievements at Real Madrid. The 1998 World Cup winner stated that the French captain must work harder and win titles with Los Blancos.
Mbappe joined Real Madrid in the summer on a free transfer from Paris Saint-Germain (PSG). His arrival at Santiano Bernebau came with huge expectations. However, the Frenchman is yet to hit top gear in Carlo Ancelotti's setup.
He has been deployed in a more central attacking role, moving away from his preferred left-wing position. Consequently, his productivity in the final third has declined compared to his usual standards. Although he has scored eight goals and provided two assists in 16 games this season, the 25-year-old has managed to find the net only once in his last seven matches for the LaLiga giants.
Candela opined that Mbappe needs to do more work to adapt to his new team. He said (via Madrid Universal):
"He needs to work more in Spain. He can still grow and become a stronger footballer."
He highlighted that Mbappe was the face of the team during his stint at PSG, but at Real Madrid, is one of several star players.
"At Real Madrid, Kylian Mbappe is one among many, while at PSG he was an icon," Candela added.
He concluded by stating that the Frenchman must win major trophies at the club, particularly the Champions League, to match the Portuguese legend's achievements at Real Madrid.
"Hopefully Mbappe can follow Cristiano Ronaldo’s path at Real Madrid. But it is too early to compare them. First of all, he must win the Champions League, as the Portuguese did many times," Candela concluded.
Cristiano Ronaldo is Real Madrid's all-time goalscorer with 451 goals and 131 assists in 438 games. The legendary Portuguese forward won 16 major trophies with Los Blancos, including four Champions League titles.
NBA star Luka Doncic backs Kylian Mbappe amid recent struggle at Real Madrid
Dallas Mavericks star Luka Doncic has backed Kylian Mbappe amid his current struggles at Real Madrid. He believes that the Frenchman will soon return to his best and just needs time to adjust.
Doncic said (via Managing Madrid):
"I follow Real Madrid every time. I grew up there. They taught me everything, so it’s a part of my life. You can call it a secondary home. I learned a lot of stuff there and, especially, they gave me a way to be here right now (in Dallas). I always appreciate that 100%. Obviously (their season) could be better. But you know, when you get a guy like Mbappe, it takes some time to get used to it, but, we’ll figure it out.”
Kylian Mbappe will hope to get back on the scoresheet when Real Madrid face Leganes in LaLiga on Sunday, November 24.