Kylian Mbappé on Vinícius Jr. after Real Madrid’s 4-1 win over Leipzig:
Kylian Mbappé: “When we won the game and everyone was celebrating, I looked around and couldn’t see Vini. I noticed he was missing, so I walked back into the dressing room, where I found him sitting quietly with his head down.
I went over to him and asked, ‘Vini, what’s going on? We’ve just won 4-1. Why are you sitting here like this?’
He looked at me and said, ‘Brother, I don’t know what’s wrong with me. I keep disappointing mister and the fans. What’s wrong with me?’
I told him, ‘Brother, don’t let people convince you that everything you’ve worked for is suddenly gone just because you’re going through a difficult period. You’ve given so much to this club. We know the player you are, and one difficult moment cannot erase everything you’ve achieved.’
The truth is, I believe Vini will bounce back. I believe he’ll find his confidence again, start enjoying his football the way he used to, and remind everyone why he’s one of the most dangerous players in the world.
And when that happens, we’ll be right there supporting him. That’s what teammates are for. You cannot celebrate with someone when everything is going well and disappear when they need you most.
People talk about his future at Real Madrid, but I don’t believe leaving this club is necessarily the answer. Sometimes, the most important thing is having people around you who believe in you when you’re struggling to believe in yourself.
I want Vini to know that he doesn’t have to fight every battle alone. He has teammates who care about him, a dressing room that wants to see him succeed, and people who understand what he brings to this team.
But if one day he decides that leaving Real Madrid is what’s best for him, then I don’t understand it. His happiness matters. His peace of mind matters. Football is important, but no player should have to sacrifice his entire well-being just to prove a point to people who have already made up their minds about him.
I told him, ‘Brother, take your time. Keep working, keep smiling, and don’t forget who you are. You don’t need to answer everybody with words. Let your football speak when you’re ready.’
Because I know Vini. I know what he’s capable of, and I know how much he loves this game.
People may think Vini’s story at Real Madrid is coming to an end, but I see a player who has given his all and still gets rejected. Moving on? I don’t know about that.”
[@UTD_Seth001]