Kylian Mbappe 'ego' statement shows his true character as Carlo Ancelotti speaks out

Real Madrid boss Carlo Ancelotti has dismissed suggestions that Kylian Mbappe’s ego is causing issues within the team. Many gathered the addition of Mbappe to an already formidable Real Madrid squad, boasting talents such as Jude Bellingham and Vinicius Junior, would create an unstoppable force. However, this hasn’t been the case so far.

Despite Ancelotti previously stating that last season’s Champions League-winning side was the easiest he’s ever coached, the team has had a slow start in La Liga this term. They’ve fallen four points behind rivals Barcelona, with Mbappe failing to score in his first three league games. Their performance in Europe has been even more disappointing.

Out of their five matches, Real have only managed two victories. Although they’ve faced tough competition, their performance falls short of their usual high standards. As the only significant change from last season’s side, Mbappe has borne the brunt of the criticism. However, Ancelotti denies that the French forward, namely his attitude, is the problem.

“Usually, the greatest players are the easiest to manage,” Ancelotti told L’Equipe. “They can have a big ego, but that can be their motivation. It is not a problem to have a big ego if you prove yourself on the pitch and have good behaviour. Team-mates will follow and help. Last season’s team was the easiest to coach because the ego was low in the dressing room.

“The veterans [Luka] Modric, [Toni] Kroos, [Dani] Carvajal, Nacho [Fernandez], they have no ego. They were examples to everyone who had them in front of their eyes. From a relational point of view, it was great. No player complained about not playing. It was a dream.”

However, last season’s team are now a distant memory, with Real currently struggling in Europe and sitting second domestically to Barcelona, who thrashed them 4-0 in October’s El Clasico. Star signing Mbappe is now firing, scoring 10 goals in all competitions this season – eight of those coming in just 13 league matches – but he continues to face criticism, with a recent penalty miss in a 2-0 loss to Liverpool at Anfield being a notable setback.

Despite this, manager Ancelotti has dismissed suggestions that the French superstar has disrupted the team dynamic, insisting that Mbappe has integrated perfectly and does not have an inflated ego.

“No. Absolutely not,” he responded when asked if the 25-year-old star has a large ego. “He arrived here and immediately integrated well with the team, with his team-mates, building good relationships with them. He arrived with a perfect state of mind.”

Despite his character being frequently scrutinised during his tenure at PSG, Ancelotti appears to be firm in his belief that the Frenchman is not contributing to current issues at the Bernabeu.