WATCH Real Madrid v Malaga and EVERY LaLiga game LIVE & EXCLUSIVE on beIN SPORTS | Sign up here and save up to $60 on our Annual Pass Now | AU | NZ

Madrid has started the new LaLiga campaign with back-to-back victories, beating Espanyol 2-1 and Real Sociedad 4-1.

Mbappe scored a hat-trick last time out against La Real, with Vinicius getting Los Blancos' other goal.

If Madrid is to be successful in Jose Mourinho's second stint  as coach, the Portguese knows the partnership between Mbappe and Vinicius will be key.

"The key point is the quality, we're talking about super quality," Mourinho said at his pre-match press conference.

"Then the second point – secondary but still important – is the empathy between two people. A lot of empathy, friendship, collaboration.

"When you combine that with brutal quality, we have everything we need to get better.

"But the dynamic isn't two plus nine. It's eleven. They'll perform better all the time, and I couldn't be happier with what they're doing."

Despite Madrid not winning any of the three major trophies – LaLiga, the UEFA Champions League and the Copa del Rey – last season, both Mbappe and Vinicius are considered contenders for the Ballon d'Or.

Mbappe registered 48 goal involvements in all competitions for Madrid last season (42 goals, six assists), while Vinicius contributed to 32 (22 goals, 10 assists).

Mbappe also became the FIFA World Cup's all-time leading scorer as France finished fourth at the recent 2026 tournament, and Mourinho believes that achievement should count for more than winning trophies at club level.

When asked about the Ballon d'Or race, Mourinho said: "There are 12 or so players, and we have three or four of them.

"You shouldn't give a Ballon d'Or because you won a [FIFA] World Cup or [UEFA] Champions League. If you want to reward that, give it to Luis Enrique or Luis de la Fuente.

"Another thing is the best player in the world – it doesn't have to be a PSG player or a Spain player.

"There are two or three [contenders] and we know who they are and where they are. We know who individually made history this summer."

Malaga has one point on the board after two games back in LaLiga, drawing 1-1 with fellow promoted side Deportivo La Coruna last time out, after an opening defeat to Atletico Madrid.