Adam Rifau Abdul Raheem
When Real Madrid finally secured Kylian Mbappé’s long-declared ambition to wear white, it looked like the final piece of a modern attacking dynasty. Mbappé arrived as one of world football’s most lethal finishers, and his 2025–26 La Liga output underlines that: 18 goals in 18 matches a league-leading tally. But elite individual output hasn’t translated into elite team balance, and the numbers suggest the cost of building a squad around a single supernova.
Madrid’s attack became heavily concentrated through Mbappé he took 85 shots (4.85 per 90), led the team in both volume and efficiency, and accounted for the lion’s share of goals, with his 22 goal involvements (goals + assists) dwarfing most supporting attackers. In contrast, the next highest Madrid scorers in La Liga had only 5 goals (Vinícius Júnior) and 4 assists among all midfield and wide contributors, underscoring how skewed creation has become.
But these eye-catching numbers mask a deeper tactical issue: Madrid’s chance quality hasn’t risen with shot volume. While Mbappé’s non-penalty xG per 90 sits among La Liga’s elite (around 0.78 npxG/90), total team creativity and “big chances” have stagnated. Simply put, funneling attacks through one player has inflated shot counts (and fantasy points), but has not diversified the team’s danger in ways that consistently break down organized defenses.
Defensively, Madrid’s structure has shown signs of strain in transitions and pressing. With heavy attacking focus and less coordinated pressing from the front, opposition teams have found more space on the break. While comprehensive defensive metrics like PPDA and transition shot rates aren’t always publicly published per match, tactical analysts have noted worry over Madrid conceding more transition opportunities and struggling to regain compact shape when possession is lost, especially in high-stakes matches. This systemic imbalance was visible in Madrid’s loss to Barcelona in the Spanish Super Cup final, where defensive lapses late contributed to the defeat.
For all his brilliance, Mbappé’s integration has thus exposed a simple truth: elite scoring alone doesn’t win titles without balance. Real Madrid’s season trailing rivals in La Liga and beaten in finals reflects a club still learning how to build around a generational talent whose individual brilliance can sometimes overshadow collective cohesion. The dream was right; the path, so far, has been worrying.
