Mbappé hails Mourinho as a legendary coach and calls on the Bernabéu for unity

Kylian Mbappé is once again making headlines away from the pitch. In the middle of his push for the Ballon d'Or, which will be handed out on October 26, the Real Madrid striker gave a wide-ranging interview touching on José Mourinho's arrival, the goals for the season and the painful memory of France's World Cup campaign. He also had a clear message for the club's supporters.

• Mbappé calls Mourinho an outstandingly intelligent person and a coach who has shaped an era.
• The Frenchman urges the Bernabéu to stand shoulder to shoulder with the team in the fight for every trophy.
• He says bringing the Ballon d'Or back to Real Madrid is an absolute priority.
• He views the Metropolitano derby as a test of character for his teammates.
• He accepts Spain's current status as the world's best national team.

Mourinho's role in the Real Madrid dressing room

The Bondy-born forward was full of praise for José Mourinho. He described him as a special figure with remarkable intelligence and leadership that becomes even more evident in daily work. For Mbappé, the Portuguese has left a lasting mark wherever he has coached and will continue to do so wearing white.

He is one of the most intelligent people I have ever seen, a leader. I already knew it before, but when you see him every day you understand he is truly special and a legendary coach.

The Frenchman also compared Mourinho with Carlo Ancelotti, Xabi Alonso and Álvaro Arbeloa, all of them connected to the Real Madrid bench. He learned from each one because they see football in different ways, although he stressed that the current head coach brings a unique identity to the job.

The derby against Atlético and the battle with Barcelona

Sunday's match at the Metropolitano is high on Mbappé's mind. He describes it as a tense contest, the kind every footballer wants to play. He enjoys testing himself away from the Bernabéu because that is where players show their true character, a trait the team needs to keep its winning run alive.

As for Barcelona's strong start to the league season, the forward kept his distance. He acknowledged the Catalan side have been winning in these early rounds but noted that the campaign has only just begun. He avoided analysing a rival whose inner workings he does not know, choosing instead to focus on his own dressing room.

Winning the Ballon d'Or back for Real Madrid

Mbappé understands that his candidacy for the individual award depends on the voters. His job, he explained, is to deliver at the highest level and convince people through his performances. Beyond personal recognition, he emphasised a collective idea: the trophy must return to Real Madrid and the Bernabéu.

The most important thing is that the Ballon d'Or returns to Real Madrid. It must come back to the Bernabéu, to the Madrid fans, to all these people, to give them hope.

In his view, being a Real Madrid player means fighting for every prize available. The Ballon d'Or is no exception, and the striker is determined to compete and add his name to those who have brought the award back to the club.

Season ambitions and squad unity

Looking at the objectives for the campaign, the Frenchman made it clear there is no room for complacency. He believes the team cannot afford to wait until the final months to switch on and suddenly demand every trophy. Collective success is built from the very beginning, with full focus and a shared vision across the coaching staff, the board and the players.

On the dressing room, his message was blunt: the club comes before any personal relationship or individual ambition. The only path to winning is staying united and working toward a common goal, setting everything else aside.

The World Cup loss and Spain's supremacy

France's World Cup campaign also came up during the conversation. Mbappé admitted his team got the initial game plan wrong and that chasing the score against a side so comfortable in possession made everything harder. With no second leg available, there was no way back.

He also accepted Spain's current dominance as world champions. For the striker there is no debate: whoever lifts the trophy rules. France have talent and will keep fighting, but credit must go where credit is due, and the Spanish national team has earned its place as the best side on the planet.