Valverde: Mbappé has shut up Real Madrid critics

Real Madrid midfielder Federico Valverde has said Kylian Mbappé has already “shut up” critics who claimed the forward joining the LaLiga giants would lead to problems in the dressing room.

Mbappé has scored seven goals for Madrid — five of them in LaLiga — since joining on a free transfer from Paris Saint-Germain last summer.

This week, the France international’s absence from his national team’s squad has caused controversy at home, after Mbappé returned sooner than expected from a thigh injury to feature for Madrid against Lille and Villarreal.

“We all know the class of player [Mbappé] is, he’s one of the best in the world,” Valverde told France Football, in an extract from an interview to be published on Saturday. “Having him here today is a huge satisfaction, it’s a joy to share a pitch with him.

“I’ve had to suffer [playing against him] with PSG, and playing against France with my country [Uruguay]. He stands out in every game, in every training session. He’s a top player. Thank God he’s here with us, I can enjoy it, my family too, and my kids can watch him.”

Mbappé was a Madrid target for years before finally making the switch this summer, but there were some doubts over how he’d fit into a team which won a Champions League and LaLiga double last season, and already featured Vinícius Júnior, Jude Bellingham and Rodrygo Goes.

“As a person [Mbappé] is incredible,” Valverde said. “He’s shut a lot of people up, [people said] if he came here there’d be a lot of conflict, I don’t know what else.

“He’s quietened all that down, all those rumours, and he’s shown he’s a spectacular person … [His Spanish] is impressive, better than mine!”

Madrid face a tough run of games after the international break, visiting Celta Vigo and hosting Borussia Dortmund in the Champions League before playing league leaders Barcelona in the first Clásico of the season.