Mbappé Discusses Life at Real Madrid and Career Aspirations

Kylian Mbappé has finally pressed pause on the whirlwind and spoken plainly about the decision that has defined his career: leaving Paris for Real Madrid.

In a wide-ranging exclusive with Spanish newspaper AS, the France captain walked through the key moments of his journey to the Bernabéu – from the instant he chose Madrid, to the first days of a new era in the famous white shirt.

This was not a quick-fire chat. Mbappé went deep.

He detailed his relationship with Real Madrid as something years in the making, explaining how the move came together behind the scenes and why the timing, at last, felt right. The forward laid out his ambitions in the Spanish capital, making it clear he has not arrived as a tourist, but as a man chasing history.

Rivalry with Barcelona

The rivalry with Barcelona inevitably came up. Mbappé did not dodge it. He spoke about stepping into one of football’s fiercest battles, about what it means to carry Madrid’s colours into Clásicos, and how that duel now shapes his weekly life.

• Lamine Yamal.
• Vinícius Júnior.
• Jude Bellingham.

Mbappé discussed the teenage prodigy at Barcelona, the explosive Brazilian who now shares his dressing room, and the English midfielder whose rise has electrified Madrid. The conversation painted a picture of a new generation taking control of Spanish and European football, with Mbappé right at the heart of it.

He also looked back. Paris Saint-Germain was not brushed aside as a closed chapter. The striker reflected on his years in Paris, the weight of expectation in his home city, and the legacy he leaves behind there. His relationship with José Mourinho, another big character in his story, also featured as he revisited past connections that helped shape his mentality.

Ballon d'Or

Then came the subject that follows him everywhere: the Ballon d'Or.

Mbappé spoke about the race for the award with the same sharpness he shows in front of goal, outlining how his move to Madrid ties directly into his hunger to be recognised as the world’s best. Trophies, he stressed, are the real currency. His message was clear: he has come to Madrid to win everything, not just to enjoy the view.

The forward set out the targets driving him over the coming years – more titles, more decisive nights, more responsibility on the biggest stages. Every answer revealed another layer of a player who knows exactly where he wants his career to go, and why Real Madrid is the club he believes can take him there.

Here is the full interview.