Kylian Mbappé arrived at Real Madrid shedding his French stripes, ready to win everyone over with humility.
He has practically succeeded with everyone around him, except for Vinícius, who sees him more as a rival than a teammate.
Mbappé Has Tried to Mend the Situation
The relationship between them has deteriorated. Mbappé has tried to mend it, but he has given up and already considers Vinícius a lost cause, although it may not seem so outwardly.
There is no tension between them, just indifference. They interact just enough, and on the field, they forget everything, trying to do what's best for Real Madrid.
The situation between them has reached a point where Carlo Ancelotti has been forced to intervene. Peace had to be made and the relationship mended. Real Madrid can't afford to have two of its best men at odds.
Mbappé Up. Vinícius Down
The issue is that Mbappé's upward progression at Real Madrid coincides with Vinícius's decline in performance. A change that began when he was informed he wouldn't win the Ballon d'Or.
Vinícius understands that Mbappé has stolen the spotlight he had at Real Madrid last season and doesn't feel comfortable on the field with him. This explains his apathy in many phases of recent matches.
He doesn't like that Mbappé moves on the left, an area he considers his own. He is starting to get annoyed with the new habit that is becoming widespread in Madrid media, referring to the Frenchman as "the best player in the world." The Best is still him, until proven otherwise.
The Locker Room Takes Sides
The rest of the locker room is aware of the lack of chemistry between the team's two stars. And more or less, everyone has taken sides.
The problem for Vinícius is that he only has the unconditional support of the Brazilian sector. The others lean toward Mbappé or remain neutral.
This tense and strained atmosphere could be the result of Vinícius's desire to force his transfer to Arab soccer. And make it inevitable. Especially if he insists on wanting to earn more than Mbappé to stay at Bernabéu.
Is He Forcing a Transfer to Arabia?
Meanwhile, Mbappé is making the most of his time. He has already scored 23 goals in the 33 matches he has played. Just one less than Vinícius achieved throughout last season when he believed he deserved the Ballon d'Or.
And Vinícius reflects his frustration on the field and against his teammates. As seen in Cornellà, scolding Ceballos for channeling all the play to the right. Vinícius even asked Ancelotti for explanations.
He also took it out on Fran García for not passing him the ball when he wanted it. Vinícius's career at Real Madrid is going off track. And given the precedents of Cristiano Ronaldo or Sergio Ramos, Vinícius is rapidly approaching Arab soccer.