Kylian Mbappe and Vinicius Junior’s Real Madrid fortunes could hardly be more contrasting
https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/6630757/2025/09/16/kylian-mbappe-vinicius-junior-real-madrid-contrast
If you wanted to see the contrasting fortunes of Kylian Mbappe and Vinicius Junior at Real Madrid, you only had to watch the team’s 2-1 win against Real Sociedad.
Mbappe’s fine solo goal and excellent assist showed the 26-year-old France captain is now Madrid’s undisputed on-pitch leader. Vinicius Jr’s subdued display and early substitution were further evidence of the 25-year-old Brazil winger’s lack of form.
Less than 12 months ago, it was an entirely different story.
Vinicius Jr’s stunning hat-trick in last October’s 5-2 Champions League win against Borussia Dortmund underlined why he was then many people’s favourite to win the 2024 Ballon d’Or.
Four days later, Mbappe’s record eight offsides in Madrid’s 4-0 defeat to Barcelona symbolised his struggles while settling in at the Bernabeu following fitness issues and personal problems.
That Clasico defeat was an early sign of the issues Carlo Ancelotti’s side would experience throughout last season. Vinicius Jr thrived the previous year in Ancelotti’s counter-attacking set-up, scoring the winning goal in the 2024 Champions League final and playing a crucial role in his side lifting the La Liga trophy. But his disappointment at missing out to Manchester City’s Rodri for the Ballon d’Or — which led to Madrid boycotting the ceremony — was followed by a serious dip in his on-pitch performances.
Things have not gone to plan for Vinicius Jr since his hat-trick against Dortmund (Denis Doyle/Getty Images)
Vinicius Jr scored just three goals in 16 La Liga games from January to May 2025, and only once in six Champions League knockout games as they were knocked out in the quarter-finals by Arsenal.
He was not the only Madrid player whose form dipped as the season progressed towards a dismal end. But knowledgeable sources — speaking on the condition of anonymity to protect relationships, like all those consulted for this story — say he knew his campaign was not up to the required standard.
At the same time, Mbappe’s contribution and confidence grew as the season progressed. At a January news conference, the summer arrival from Paris Saint-Germain said he had been cautious about imposing himself on and off the pitch in his first months at Madrid, but had since made a “mental” change, as “I knew I had to do more”.
Mbappe finished the season with eight goals in their last five La Liga games, including a hat-trick in a 4-3 defeat to Barca, a result which ended any realistic chances of Madrid defending their league title. His total of 44 goals was a record for any debut Madrid season, while 31 efforts in La Liga gave him the Golden Shoe award for the top scorer in Europe’s top five leagues.
When Alonso replaced Ancelotti as coach in May, the former Madrid, Liverpool and Spain midfielder set about introducing a proactive tactical approach to dominate possession and territory. This means Madrid’s forwards are required to do more off-the-ball work and have fewer opportunities for sprinting into space on the counter.
Alonso knew fitting both superstar strikers into such a system was a major challenge. Staff sources say the initial plan had both players as centre-forwards, but with Vinicius Jr moving out towards the left more.
Madrid were unable to trial that idea during the Club World Cup due to a viral infection suffered by Mbappe. Vinicius Jr started all six of their games in the United States but again performed well below his best.
Alonso planned to bench Vinicius Jr for the last of those, the semi-final against PSG, before Trent Alexander-Arnold picked up an injury. A 4-3-3 shape with Mbappe on the left wing and Vinicius Jr in his less favoured position on the right was then ruthlessly exploited and punished as Luis Enrique’s Champions League holders won 4-0.
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During the early stages of this season, Alonso’s doubts over Vinicius Jr’s role in the team have continued.
The Brazilian was benched for the second game at Real Oviedo, with Rodrygo starting on the left wing instead. Vinicius Jr had not been informed and was surprised by the decision — although he came on as a substitute and channeled his disappointment into a goal and an assist for Mbappe in the 63rd minute.
Alonso replied sternly when asked if he understood Vinicius Jr being upset at being left out of the starting line-up: “In football, decisions are made thinking of the collective, and everyone has to understand that”. Sources on both sides have told The Athletic the start between coach and player has not been ideal.
Against Real Mallorca at home the following weekend, Vinicius Jr returned to the starting XI and scored the winner in a 2-1 victory. Sources say the coaching staff have confidence the Brazilian can return to his best form, but Alonso has been clear his selection decisions are made on merit, not reputation.
Mbappe has started all four games at centre-forward, looking sharp and confident while scoring four goals, making him La Liga’s top scorer. He is now a much more commanding presence around the team, taking penalties and sometimes free-kicks while relishing his status as the team’s most important player.
Mbappe is La Liga’s top scorer with four goals (Antonio Villalba/Real Madrid via Getty Images)
“Kylian is fundamental, he’s in great shape, both his football and his personality,” Alonso said last Friday. “He takes that (leadership) role every day, although these responsibilities must be shared so we keep developing as a team.”
Mbappe’s goal against Real Sociedad came when he lethally capitalised on a mistake by their back line to race clear and slot home. After Dean Huijsen’s controversial red card, he showed further leadership by creating the chance for Arda Guler to put them 2-0 ahead with an excellent dribble and unselfish pass.
“Today’s goal was my type of goal, but the assist was more important as it was a key moment in the game,” Mbappe told Real Madrid TV afterwards. “I feel really good, the season has started well, for the team and me.”
Meanwhile, Vinicius Jr had one off-target shot and caused few problems for La Real before being replaced on 67 minutes. He has now completed only one of 10 games under Alonso. For some who know him, it feels uncomfortably like when Zinedine Zidane was Madrid coach and Zidane clearly did not trust the (then much younger) Vinicius Jr.
Mbappe’s superstar status was further seen this summer when he took the No 10 shirt, even though club policy dictates longer-serving players should get first dibs. The club had the final say and Mbappe was given the same number he wears with France, despite interest from Arda Guler, who had been at Madrid for longer.
The No 10 shirt is further proof of Mbappe’s status at Madrid (Diego Souto/Getty Images)
Compare that to how fans have sometimes whistled Vinicius Jr at the Bernabeu in recent months. Talks over renewing his current contract — which ends in 2027 — remain deadlocked. His camp have used the ‘signing bonus’ secured by Mbappe on arrival from PSG as an argument for a bumper pay-rise for their client, something the club hierarchy have yet to accept.
The forwards have egos, but there is no suggestion of friction, and each has often spoken positively about their team-mate in public. Even so, everyone agrees they are not connecting well on the pitch, and there are no clear examples of both excelling in the same big game.
Nobody at the Bernabeu is questioning Alonso’s management of the situation, or of the team generally, but it remains to be seen how happy Vinicius Jr will be if he continues to play second fiddle to Mbappe.
