A friendship that grows amid rumors and media spotlight

From France’s training camp, Kylian Mbappé broke his silence in an interview with Jorge Valdano for Movistar Plus+, where he revealed details about his relationship with Vinícius Jr. “I have a very good relationship with Vinícius. Much better this year, we got to know each other much more. He’s a great player and, as a person, a very good one,” said the French forward. In an environment where every gesture is overanalyzed, Mbappé wanted to make it clear: there is no rivalry or tension, only camaraderie and a shared goal, to win for Real Madrid.

Mbappé acknowledged the weight of their shared fame: “Two famous players on the same team sell a lot of papers... We know people talk about us all the time.” But he also made it clear that unity and performance matter most. At a time when media speculation runs wild, he prefers transparency: if there were a real issue, he’d speak up.

“Normalizing what seems like conflict”: his stance on controversy

When asked by Valdano how he deals with rumors, Mbappé responded calmly. “I normalize it because the day there’s a real problem, hopefully it never happens, I’ll say it’s serious. And people will listen and understand that I mean it. This isn’t serious. In the life of a famous footballer, or a Real Madrid player, this isn’t serious.”

Winning titles together: the real shared goal

For Mbappé, his relationship with Vinícius is built on something bigger than media headlines: ambition. “We know people talk about us for everything, but we share the same goal to help Real Madrid win titles. If we want to win, we need to be at our best and help the whole team,” he said.

Clear messages that silence rumors and strengthen the locker room

The preview of Mbappé’s full interview with Valdano, which aired on Sunday, October 12 on Movistar+, served as a public message: there is no hidden conflict. Mbappé was direct: “There’s no problem” and emphasized that if anything serious ever came up, he’d address it directly, no filters.

The heated exchange between Vinícius and Koke during Atlético Madrid’s win over Real Madrid had fueled gossip, but Mbappé isn’t buying into it. Meanwhile, Real Madrid continues to lead LaLiga after a 3–1 win over Villarreal and prepares to face Getafe in their next match. In that context, the bond between Mbappé and Vinícius isn’t just reassuring, it’s vital for the team’s balance and drive for titles.