Mbappé's slump: playing as No.9 doesn't help him but it's difficult to resolve

Kylian Mbappé is in a difficult situation. Over the past year, it has been less effective. These are the opinions ofDidier Deschamps himself during a casual interview in which he spoke with Lizarazu for TF1 about the problems that today's players face compared to those of his era: the calendar, social networks and pressure affect the physical but also mental. Although at that time the speech was more generic, regarding Mbappé, the coach, who is not comfortable talking about the reasons for the gap, was also concerned about the fact that Kylian plays like a 9 in his club and in the national team and that could harm him: “He was less effective in 2024, but I see no reason to think that he will not return to his level. He is going through a difficult period, but he has everything to come back. He can play in several positions and, even if you're going to tell me that I'm crazy to put him as a center forward, with his last two coaches in his club (Luis Enrique and Ancelotti) he also played as a center forward.”

The reality is that Mbappé's slump, beyond his physical condition and the fact that he changed clubs and needs an adaptation process, also coincides with his reference position. Karim Benzemain his interview on El Chiringuito, was the most energetic in this regard analyzing his role in Madrid and the fact that he is not at his level: “For me, the problem is that he is not a center forward. Mbappé is not. Every time he plays with the national team as a “9”, he doesn't do well. That's not his position. But the problem is that on the left there is a guy who looks like him. At the same level, Vinicius. So there's a problem… He's going to have to get his head around the fact that he's a 9″.

Deschamps, for his part, followed Mbappé's adaptation with Ancelotti. “He clearly doesn't have the profile of Olivier Giroud, after that it depends on the opponent we face. It's clear that he has more preference for the left side, even on the right, where I saw him playing during the last matches with Madrid. Then it's a question of balance and giving freedom to the players.” As the France coach says, Kylian was seen a little further to the right and, without going any further, his assist against Dortmund on Rudiger's shot came a good shot from that side.

You're going to tell me I'm crazy because he plays in the No. 9 position, but with his last two coaches, he played in that position.

Didier Deschamps

Condemned to play number 9?

The truth is that in France as in Madrid, Kylian seems condemned to assume that he will be number 9. Giroud has already retired and there is no striker like him in the group. Neither Kolo Muani nor Marcus Thuram are, and the coach almost always preferred the Madrid player as a reference point, also to spare him defensive efforts during the Euro, where he was no longer at his best. A similar situation is occurring at Real Madrid with the departure of Joseluwho was not a holder, and before that with Karim Benzema. The other #9 is Endrickbut the problem has already been explained by Benzema: to put another number 9 and launch Mbappé to the left you have to move Vinicius. However, the Real Madrid coach already said this last season, before Mbappe's arrival was confirmed, and he confirmed it again during pre-season: “He has played more in this area and will continue to do so,” he said in August.

What Ancelotti asks of him: the role of Benzema

Mbappe has entered a crisis at Real Madrid, as his numbers show. He has gone four matches without scoring: two in La Liga and the last two in the Champions League.. Since his absence from the derby due to injury on September 29 and his agreement with Deschamps not to participate in the two matches last October to recover, he has scored only one goal, against Celta Vigo. And this despite the fact that before the derby he seemed to have woken up, with five goals and an assist in four La Liga games.. This rest certainly did not have the desired effect. His controversial trip to Stockholm, when he had authorization like the rest of Ancelotti's group without international commitment, was not well received by some French media and supporters for not responding to Deschamps' call.

But it looks like Mbappe will have to stay afloat as No.9 unless Carletto looks for another solution before facing Leganes and then Liverpool at Anfield. However, his initial idea was explained not long ago, when he was asked if he too was going to ask to defend, in accordance with the private conversation that appears in Luis Enrique's documentary in which the coach asks him that he must defend like Jordan to be the best. “Let him score. I prefer him to score goals rather than press. The center forward position hasn't changed much. I ask him the same thing I asked Benzema. Position yourself well to be ready.”

A long-standing problem

Mbappé accepted his role as No.9 with much more diplomacy than in previous years. His complaint in October 2022 to Galtier, then coach of PSG, sparked some controversy when the striker admitted that with France he felt more comfortable having Giroud as No.9: “I play differently with France. I am asked to do different things here than at PSG. Here I have a lot more freedom. The coach knows that we have Giroud as number 9 who fixes the defenses and I can go into space. In Paris it's different, it doesn't exist. I'm asked to be a pivot and it's different.” On social networks, after a draw against Reims, he posted a photo of the match with the following mention: “Draw #thisisparis #pivotgang”.