According to reports, Real Madrid’s back-to-back defeats against Arsenal and their elimination from the Champions League have sparked strong reactions in France, especially due to the presence of Kylian Mbappe as one of Real’s key stars.

The French have decided to heavily criticize Mbappe after Real’s exit. Many in France had hoped that Mbappe would end his years of Champions League failures with Paris Saint-Germain by winning the trophy in his first season at Real Madrid. However, the opposite happened—Mbappe and Real were eliminated, while PSG advanced to the semifinals and remains a strong contender.

Jerome Rothen, a former PSG star and prominent media figure in France, said about Mbappe: “Mbappe joined a dream club to win trophies, especially the Champions League. He wanted to prove he is the best player in the world and win the Ballon d’Or. But the entire Real Madrid team, including Kylian, were truly awful. He will undoubtedly not win the Ballon d’Or this year. Mbappe this season means pure failure. At the start of the season, we gave him the benefit of the doubt, saying he was adapting. In fact, there were good signs—he was scoring and improving. But in crucial moments, especially in the Champions League knockout stages, he was really weak and disappointing.”

Emmanuel Petit, one of the few voices in France defending Mbappe, said: “Today, the hyenas are unleashed and venting their frustrations. The criticism directed at Kylian since his departure from PSG has been savage and ruthless. What did you expect? That he would win the Champions League and the Ballon d’Or? Real can still win the league and the cup. His evaluation should be done at the end of the season. Is it all Mbappe’s fault? He has scored around 30 goals. Is that what you call failure? Real’s disaster against Arsenal was a team failure, not just Mbappe’s.”

L’Équipe, Le Parisien, and RMC, France’s top media outlets, all referenced a statement Mbappe made in 2023: “Without wanting to be disrespectful, if I had tied my future to the Champions League, I would have lifted the trophy long ago.” They are now mocking Mbappe, who once said while at PSG that if he had joined Real Madrid earlier, he would have already won multiple Champions League titles.

L’Équipe analyzed Real’s performance: “Mbappe, without a single shot on target and not even a clear scoring opportunity, was nowhere near the level needed to bring Real back into the game. Both Mbappe and Vinicius were disappointing.”

Le Parisien wrote similarly: “Kylian Mbappe means injuries, early eliminations, and a completely empty season. PSG without Mbappe is now much better than Real Madrid with Mbappe.”

It is clear that the French are still bitter about Mbappe’s departure from PSG to Real Madrid. These harsh attacks on a French footballer after Real’s elimination—a team that performed poorly in both matches against Arsenal—seem strange and illogical.