‘Not Explosive’ – ESPN FC Pundit Questions Real Madrid Ace’s Lack of PSG-Like Qualities

Kylian Mbappé has had a tough 2024 on a personal level. He struggled to make an impact in the UEFA Champions League semifinal, where Paris Saint-Germain was knocked out by Borussia Dortmund, and his performance at UEFA Euro 2024 was also underwhelming.

Now, during the international break, Mbappé’s struggles continued. He failed to make a difference for France as they suffered a 3-1 defeat to Italy on Matchday 1 of the UEFA Nations League.

With Real Madrid, the forward struggled for three matches before finally scoring a brace against Real Betis. Nonetheless, pundits are attempting to answer what’s the cause of the 2018 FIFA World Cup winner’s recent struggles. ESPN FC’s Frank Leboeuf is the latest pundit to weigh in on the situation.

“He wants to tell us that he went back to his best, which I think, and what I see, is not the case right now,” Leboeuf said on Friday’s ESPN FC. “It’s not the Mbappé that I saw two or three years ago. For sure, it’s not.

“[He’s] not explosive anymore. [He] tries too much to force and to score goals. It’s not the Mbappé that I’ve seen a lot with Paris Saint-Germain before with Monaco, and he’s only 24. It’s not like he’s at the end of his career.”

It will be interesting to see if this is a short-term discussion now that the transfer window has closed or if the issue could turn into a long-term dialogue that lasts throughout the campaign.

The Champions League starts in a few days and it’s the stage for Mbappé to show that he’s still the same player.