Michel Platini, French soccer legend and former UEFA president, has sent a clear message to Xabi Alonso regarding the management of Kylian Mbappé in the white team.
In recent statements, Platini has said: "Mbappé is a forward who scores goals. This is the most important thing. You either build a team for him, or you build a team to play well as a team... That's the whole difficulty."
"Don't ask Mbappé to play like Messi, Modric, or Zidane"
These words highlight the need to adapt the team's tactical scheme to his play style in order to maximize the French forward's performance.
Additionally, Platini has also had words for Real Madrid: "He plays in a team that hasn't had a great year. Real Madrid are also aging."
He concluded: "Mbappé is a phenomenon, he's a phenomenal guy. He has scored 42 goals in Spain. He won the Golden Boot, he's the top scorer in Europe...
That means he's done well, he's a forward who scores. But don't ask him to play like Messi, Modric, Platini, or Zidane. He's a forward."
Mbappé arrived at Real Madrid in June 2024 and has had an outstanding first season, scoring 31 goals in 34 La Liga matches. His goals have earned him the Pichichi Trophy and the Golden Boot.
Xabi Alonso's first objective
However, his integration into the team's playing system has sparked debates about how to best utilize his skills.
Xabi Alonso, in his presentation as Real Madrid coach, expressed his commitment to building a team that everyone can be proud of. He also emphasized the importance of balancing the individual qualities of his star players with the team's collective performance.
The challenge for Alonso will be to find the right formula that allows Mbappé to shine without compromising the team's cohesion and balance. Platini's observations serve as a reminder of the importance of adapting the team's strategy to make the most of the talent of exceptional players like Mbappé.