Former Real Madrid striker Karim Benzema believes that Kylian Mbappe must adapt to playing as a central striker if he is to thrive at the club, as he cannot displace Vinicius Junior from the left wing.
Mbappe completed a highly anticipated move to Madrid this summer after the expiration of his contract with Paris Saint-Germain, but he has yet to find his best form under coach Carlo Ancelotti. The coach has retained Brazil international Vinicius in his preferred position on the wing, leaving Mbappe, who typically favors playing on the left, to take on a central role.
“The problem, in my opinion, is that Mbappe is not a central striker,” Benzema said during an appearance on the Spanish television show El Chiringuito. “Even with the national team, whenever he plays as a number nine, he doesn’t feel comfortable because it’s not his natural position.”
He added, “On the left, he has someone at his level — Vinicius — so there’s a problem. You can’t play Vinicius as a number nine or on the right; he’s at his best on the left, where he impacts every game.”
Benzema acknowledged the pressure Mbappe faces, noting that he is under heightened scrutiny compared to his time at Paris Saint-Germain. “Mbappe isn’t a true number nine. People have high expectations of him, and this isn’t PSG,” he explained.
Since joining Madrid, the 25-year-old Mbappe has scored eight goals in 14 appearances across all competitions. Benzema, who won the Ballon d’Or in 2022 before moving to Saudi Arabian club Al-Ittihad, encouraged Mbappe to keep working hard in his new role.
“Don’t give up,” Benzema advised. “I don’t think he’ll push Vinicius out of position — he’s currently the best player in the world. Mbappe needs to accept that, for now, he’s playing as a number nine and set aside the left flank for a while.”
Benzema also cautioned Mbappe about the scrutiny that comes with playing at a club like Real Madrid. “If you go two or three games without scoring, you’re going to face a lot of scrutiny,” he warned.
Real Madrid is set to face AC Milan in the Champions League on Tuesday.