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Arun - December 17, 2024
For the better part of two years, Real Madrid’s relentless pursuit of Kylian Mbappe was the biggest talking point in world football. In the summer, the time finally came for the mercurial Frenchman to head to the Bernabeu, leaving former club Paris Saint-Germain on a free transfer following the expiry of his contract. Since then, however, things have rapidly gone downhill.
Since making the move to the reigning European Champions, the 25-year-old’s form has fallen off a cliff. He looks like a shadow of the player who netted that blistering hat trick in the 2022 FIFA World Cup final, netting just eight goals in 14 La Liga games. While that is hardly a bad return, much, much more was expected.
The former AS Monaco youngster’s demise has also been noticed by national team manager Didier Deschamps. Despite being the best player in the France setup and his country’s captain, Mbappe was still dropped for the recent UEFA Nations League clashes against Israel and Italy. To make matters worse, his new club is lagging behind rivals Barcelona in the Spanish title race, and the sports betting providers haven’t failed to notice! If you check out the latest live sports betting odds, you’ll see that they’re now making the Blaugrana a -120 favourite. So why has Mbappe struggled so much to hold up to the sports betting providers’ and fans’ expectations?
Perhaps it’s the pressure or even the tactical adjustments of playing through the middle rather than cutting inside from the left flank. While it’s too early to label him a flop, history serves as a stark reminder that the Spanish capital hasn’t always been a stage for guaranteed success, no matter how big the name or the transfer fee.
Eden Hazard was arguably the best player on the planet when Real Madrid splashed millions of euros to secure his services in 2019. He had just scored two and assisted another couple in a blistering performance in the Europa League final, leading the Blues to a 4-1 victory against rivals Arsenal.
That was the latest in a long line of scintillating displays that had those in the Spanish capital thinking they had found the heir to Cristiano Ronaldo’s throne after the Portuguese legend’s departure to Juventus a year prior.
However, his time in Madrid was anything but stellar. Injuries plagued his debut season and became an unfortunate theme of his stint with the club.
Persistent muscle problems, ankle surgeries, and constantly being overweight forced the Belgian to spend more time on the treatment table than on the field. Even when fit, he struggled to replicate his Chelsea magic, often appearing a million miles off the pace set by his teammates.
Financially, his transfer was a disaster. Not only did Real fork out an absolute fortune to acquire him, but he was also picking up one of the highest wage packets in the squad for the better part of four years. Throughout that time, he made just 76 appearances and scored a paltry seven goals, resulting in the Madridistas who once hailed him as the next Galáctico quickly running out of patience.
James Rodríguez’s arrival in 2014 came off the back of a stunning breakout performance at the Brazil World Cup. The Colombian won the Golden Boot award with six goals in, including some crackers against Uruguay and Japan. That convinced Florentino Pérez to part with a huge sum to bring him to the Bernabeu, and initially, he lived up to expectations.
Under Carlo Ancelotti, the former FC Porto man enjoyed a magnificent first season, contributing 17 goals and 18 assists across all competitions. But as time wore on, his influence diminished drastically. When Zinedine Zidane took over, he preferred more workhorse-like midfielders such as Casemiro and Luka Modrić and when he did require more creativity, he opted for Spaniard Isco.
A loan spell to Bayern Munich did little to rejuvenate his stock, and before long he found himself on his way to Everton, where he would reunite with Ancelotti. The current Rayo Vallecano man enjoyed a late-career renaissance throughout the summer as he played a starring role in Colombia’s run to the Copa America final, and he will be hoping for one last hurrah at the 2026 World Cup.
After Pep Guardiola turned Barcelona into the dominant force in European football in 2009, Florentino Perez was on a mission to restore the Galactico era. In came Cristiano Ronaldo, Xabi Alonso, and finally Kaka. But while the former duo would live up to their lofty reputations, the AC Milan icon would not.
Throughout his stint with the Rossoneri, the Brazilian sensation had become the best player in the world, winning the Ballon d’Or just two years before his move. But unfortunately, his best days stayed in the San Siro.
Chronic knee injuries robbed him of his trademark explosiveness that saw him maraud through defences almost at will. Despite moments of brilliance here and there, he never fully integrated into a squad brimming with ambition.
José Mourinho’s tenure particularly spelt trouble as the Special One often benched him in favor of Mesut Özil. Then came that missed penalty against Bayern Munich in the 2012 Champions League semifinal, ending his career in the Bernabeu once and for all.
