The Secret Skill of Kylian Mbappé: Winning Penalties
Some goals matter more than others, and some actions repeat themselves too often. At the Bernabéu, a familiar story starts to draw attention every time Mbappé hits the ground.
Kylian Mbappé is many things: fast, lethal, decisive, and one of the best goal scorers on the planet. But at Real Madrid, a pattern is starting to emerge that goes beyond his finishing ability. The opponent, the goalkeeper, even the coach on the bench may change. When the stage is the Santiago Bernabéu, the story often ends in the same place: the penalty spot.
The French forward scored his first league goal under Carlo Ancelotti from the penalty spot against Real Betis. His first goal with Xabi Alonso as head coach also came from twelve yards, following a controversial play against Osasuna. Even under Álvaro Arbeloa, his first goal once again came via a penalty, this time against Levante. Coincidence or not, the pattern repeats itself with striking precision.
The Numbers Don’t Lie
The statistics support part of the narrative. Mbappé has taken 77 penalties in his professional career: 63 scored and 14 missed. He is not infallible, but he is reliable. What official statistics do not show is how many of those penalties were directly earned by him. That is where the debate begins.
In the most recent matchday, the contact from Pedraza in Villarreal appears clear. However, not every incident leaves the same impression. Against Levante, Mbappé’s movement toward Dela’s leg was so convincing that it fooled the referee… and VAR. A piece of theater so well executed that it passed every filter.
The Line Between Cunning and Simulation
It is not a new move in his repertoire. On opening day against Osasuna, the Frenchman slows down, steps on Juan Cruz, and goes to ground. Referee Cordero Vega pointed to the spot, with no intervention afterward. Few players master the art of sensing contact, going down at the perfect moment, and turning a gray-area play into a decisive foul quite like Mbappé.
Football has always been a game of clever operators, but when VAR looks the other way and hesitates to intervene, the line becomes blurred. With so many cameras and replays, these actions often leave more doubts than applause.
Does He Really Need It?
At 26 years old, Mbappé is considered by many to be the best goal scorer in the world, with due respect to Erling Haaland and Harry Kane. With Lionel Messi no longer in the race, everything suggests that one day he will lift the Ballon d’Or, even with the emerging threat of Lamine Yamal.
That is why the question remains: does he really need to resort to this kind of play? His talent should be enough. Damaging his image with actions that flirt with simulation may be the only opponent he has yet to beat.
