French forward, Kylian Mbappé said he is not fighting with Vinícius Júnior, insisting that the pair have built a strong relationship and are working toward the same goal, bringing trophies back to Real Madrid.
In an interview with Movistar Plus+, Kylian Mbappé said his relationship with the Brazilian winger has evolved since he arrived in Madrid, saying the two have grown closer both on and off the pitch.
“I have a very good relationship with Vinícius. Much better this year, we got to know each other much more. He’s a great player and, as a person, a very good one,” Mbappé said.
Rumours of tension between the two surfaced after Madrid’s mixed performances last season, with fans and pundits questioning whether their similar playing styles could coexist. But Mbappé brushed off those stories, calling them a normal part of life at one of the world’s biggest clubs.
“Two famous players on the same team sell a lot of papers. We know people talk about us all the time,” he explained. “I normalise it because the day there’s a real problem, hopefully it never happens, I’ll say it’s serious. And people will listen and understand that I mean it. This isn’t serious. In the life of a famous footballer, or a Real Madrid player, this isn’t serious.”
Now settled at the Bernabéu, Mbappé says both he and Vinícius are fully focused on helping the team return to its winning ways after a disappointing 2024-2025 season.
“We know people talk about us for everything, but we share the same goal to help Real Madrid win titles. If we want to win, we need to be at our best and help the whole team,” he added.
So far, the pair’s on-field chemistry has improved significantly. They have already scored in the same league match three times this season, nearly matching last season’s total. Mbappé leads the team with 14 goals in all competitions, while Vinícius has seven goal contributions.
Their form has powered Real Madrid to the top of the La Liga standings heading into the October international break.
Away from Madrid, Mbappé also spoke about Barcelona’s teenage sensation Lamine Yamal, urging people to give the youngster space to grow.
“People talk a lot about his personal life. I think they should leave him alone,” Mbappé said. “In football, he is a great player, but in life, he is an 18-year-old kid.”
