The duo are two of the most talented footballers in the world, but configuring them on the same pitch could be a challenge for Carlo Ancelotti
Let’s play a game of hypotheses. Kylian Mbappe, depending on who you believe, and how much you subscribe to the reliability of the Spanish press, will likely be a Real Madrid player next year. Him moving to Santiago Bernabeu will end over three years of torment and speculation, with one of the world’s best finally getting his dream move.
It will perhaps suit all parties, too. Paris Saint-Germain won’t exactly be elated to lose perhaps their greatest-ever playe, but the French champions are building a new team with a focus on long-term success — a squad that looks increasingly like an outfit assembled to thrive in a post-Mbappe world.
Madrid, meanwhile, get their white whale. Mbappe, it has been known for some time, is a boyhood Madridista who idolized Cristiano Ronaldo, and has done little to hide his desire for a future move to the Spanish capital.
But at some point, the fantasy ends and the reality begins. The truth is, Madrid are already loaded when it comes to their forward line, and finding the best role for Mbappe within the current ecosystem is a problem Carlo Ancelotti will have to solve.
Having Mbappe is never a bad thing, but fitting it all together while ensuring current Ballon d’Or favorite Jude Bellingham isn’t negatively impacted won’t be easy.
It is not so simple to throw Mbappe into a team and expect him, and others, to thrive. Recent history, in fact, has shown that it is not a very good idea at all.
The Lionel Messi-Neymar-Mbappe trident figured to be the next great European attacking trio in Paris; instead, it was a disaster. The three never really gelled in attack, and a mixture of injuries, egos, and defensive defensiveness saw one of Europe’s most talented sides become a Champions League punchline.
Mbappe wasn’t the only problem there. Messi never wanted to be in Paris, while Neymar’s notoriously chaotic manner — and failing ankles — didn’t help. But Mbappe was supposed to be the center of the project, PSG’s vice-captain who held everything together. Perhaps that was always going to be too much to ask of a player who was still only approaching his mid-20s. Either way, Mbappe never really managed to be the center-piece, and was instead mired in a power struggle that saw the Parisians’ period of promise end in disappointment.
It all makes things a bit ominous for Madrid. Although this is a different side with a far more effective man-manager, the same issues can arise. Bellingham, Vinicius Jr and Rodrygo are, by most accounts, good team-mates, but when big names are involved, toxicity can come into play. And whether by his own fault or otherwise, controversy has always followed Mbappe.
The first thing that needs to be established here is Madrid’s current way of playing and how it gets the best out of Bellingham. The Englishman is not being used as a striker, nor is he really an attacking midfielder. Ancelotti has described Bellingham as a false nine, but even that is inaccurate. For the most part, Bellingham starts from deeper positions, and runs at defenses with the ball at his feet.
There are the necessary caveats here. Bellingham’s role is warped by the fact that Madrid often face low blocks in La Liga. He also has the freedom to roam — and often wanders further forward. Still, Bellingham is not a striker; he just scores lots of goals. Maintaining that while potentially integrating Mbappe is far from straightforward.
Pushing Bellingham higher up the pitch is perhaps the simplest way to configure a new-look Madrid team with Mbappe in it. The Frenchman is most comfortable playing off the left-hand side, Bellingham is an excellent goalscorer who has proved adept at finding space in the penalty area, and Vinicius should have few problems adapting to the other wing.
Yes, there are some flaws here that would need ironing out, with Vinicius inexperienced at playing off the right, while it remains to be seen whether Bellingham could truly thrive as an out-and-out striker. Rodrygo, meanwhile, would potentially be frozen out despite him enjoying an excellent season at present. But if Ancelotti wants to subscribe to the idea of getting his best 11 players on the pitch, then this is the ideal way to implement it.