Real Madrid striker Kylian Mbappe said on Tuesday that the shift in mentality helped him improve his “situation” in the Spanish capital after his initial struggles following his dream move from Paris Saint-Germain. The French star played inconsistently in his first months in Madrid after joining last summer, but in recent weeks he has returned to his destructive peak. “You always have to be calm and focus on your game and what you can improve,” Mbappe said in a press conference ahead of Real Madrid’s Champions League clash with Red Bull Salzburg on Wednesday.
“I knew I could change the situation, and now the situation has changed.”
Mbappe missed two penalty kicks against Liverpool and Athletic Bilbao towards the end of 2024 and admitted at the time that he had “hit the bottom.”
The 26-year-old has vowed to show character and overcome his shaky start, and has now scored eight goals in his last 10 matches in all competitions.
Mbappe continued: “It was more about the mental thing… I knew I was good physically, good for the team, but I had to do more and I knew that.”
“It was the right moment to say that now I have to change everything, change the situation, because I did not come to Madrid to play badly.
“Now everything has changed, and I have to keep going, because playing well for a month is good, but it’s easy.”
During a period of decline in his level and his suffering from a thigh problem, Mbappe was excluded from many French teams for European Nations League matches in the last months of last year.
However, the striker said he is looking forward to returning to action with his country’s national team.
Mbappe, who won the 2018 World Cup with France, said: “There is no problem with the national team… I can understand the criticism (in France).”
He added: “I am excited to return in March and try to reach the semi-finals of the European Nations League. My love for the national team has not changed.”
(This story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
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