Another former World Cup winner takes aim at Real Madrid superstar – ‘Needs to work more in Spain’ | OneFootball

Criticism surrounding Kylian Mbappe has been growing steadily since his high-profile move to Real Madrid and the latest remarks have come from his home country, with former French footballer Vincent Candela offering his thoughts on the forward’s current situation.

Candela, a World Cup winner with France in 1998, has expressed reservations about drawing comparisons between Mbappe and Cristiano Ronaldo.

According to him, Mbappe has a lot of work to do to reach the Portuguese legend’s level. He highlighted that the French forward must improve in certain areas to adapt better to Spanish football and elevate his game.

“He needs to work more in Spain. He can still grow and become a stronger footballer,” he said as quoted by SPORT.

Main problem for Mbappe

Vincent Candela has criticised Kylian Mbappe. (Photo by Angel Martinez/Getty Images)

One of Candela’s key observations is how Mbappe’s status has changed dramatically since leaving Paris Saint-Germain.

At PSG, Mbappe was seen as an icon, the face of the team, and someone who often carried the squad on his shoulders. At Real Madrid, however, he is merely one of several star players.

“At Real Madrid, Kylian Mbappe is one among many, while at PSG he was an icon,”

To reach the levels Cristiano Ronaldo achieved during his time at the club, Candela emphasised the importance of winning major trophies, particularly the Champions League.

“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,” he noted.

Mbappe’s recent form has also come under scrutiny. Despite a solid start, scoring 8 goals in 16 appearances, he has failed to find the back of the net in his last four matches.

His last goal came against Celta Vigo on October 19. This goal drought has only added to the criticism, with everyone calling for him to rediscover his scoring touch and play a more decisive role for Real Madrid.