Mbappe breaks silence on his relationship with Vinicius – ‘It is much better this year because…’ | OneFootball

Real Madrid superstar Kylian Mbappe has shed light on his growing bond with Vinicius Jr., admitting that their relationship has become much stronger this season compared to his debut campaign at the Santiago Bernabeu.

Last season, despite the immense talent both players possess, the chemistry between the Frenchman and the Brazilian seemed off.

The lack of cohesion was primarily due to Mbappe being deployed as a central striker rather than in his preferred position on the left wing – a role where he has historically been at his most effective.

This positional adjustment created a natural overlap with Vinicius, who also thrives on the left flank, making it difficult for both players to complement each other.

A different player this season

As such, after spending a full season together and understanding each other’s style of play, the pair have found a rhythm.

This season, their improved connection has been evident in the statistics. Vinicius and Mbappe have already managed to score in the same La Liga game on three occasions this term.

Mbappe and Vinicius have connected well this season. (Photo by Denis Doyle/Getty Images)

In fact, last season they achieved this feat only four times across 26 league appearances together.

What has changed?

Explaining the evolution of his relationship with the Brazilian, Mbappe told Jorge Valdano on Movistar Plus+,

“Actually, I have a very good relationship with Vinicius. It’s much better this year, because we’ve gotten to know each other much better.

“He’s a great player and a great person. At the end of the day, it’s normal for people to talk about us in everything, but ultimately, we have the same goal, which is to help Real Madrid and win titles.

“And I think that if we want to win titles, we both have to be at our best and help the whole team.”

This upturn in chemistry is no coincidence. Under Xabi Alonso, the system has been refined to bring the best out of both attackers.

Mbappe’s freedom to drift wide and Vinicius’ improved positional awareness have made Real Madrid’s attack far more fluid and unpredictable.