Mbappé Defends His Style: 'I Always Feel Like the Best Player' Amid LaLiga Battle and Ballon d'Or

Imagine that moment when Kylian Mbappé sat in the press conference after Real Madrid's 1-0 loss to Betis. The late penalty was missed, but he didn't scream in the dressing room, didn't point fingers. He just nodded slightly, voice low: 'My style is my style. I always feel like the best player on the pitch.' It wasn't a harsh statement. It was a silent moment where a 25-year-old man stood between the football pitch's stands, carrying 10 goals from the 2026 World Cup and 22 goals across all World Cups, yet maintained the confidence that made people stop and look. In that match, Real Madrid was struggling in the LaLiga title race. The loss to Betis wasn't just a defeat; it was the first signal of the season. The white team was defeated not by a strong opponent, but by its own lack of certainty in defense. Mbappé, who returned from PSG as the highest player, isn't a typical false 9. He's a forward emphasizing high work rate, pressing intensity, but also must endure the fragility of the system. Under José Mourinho, the dressing-room atmosphere is still affirmed by him as good as last year. He praised the Portuguese coach for 'winning and inspiring.' But behind those words is a longer story about the growth of a superstar. The core insight lies in how Mbappé analyzes his own style. He rejects all comparisons with Ousmane Dembélé or Raphinha. Dembélé, with speed and personal technique, he sees as completely different. Raphinha, the left winger, is the same. 'I'm not that type of player,' Mbappé said clearly in the press conference. He emphasized the high work rate, pressing ability, and goal output surpassing other forwards. Data shows he leads the scoring list at the World Cup, but at Real Madrid, he faces missed touches, inaccurate shots. He doesn't blame VAR or the coach. He only says, 'Any gap is a collective issue. We need all forwards to improve together.' It's a strategic statement, not an apology. But behind that confidence, is a paradoxical view. Real Madrid is in a trophy-hungry period, two consecutive seasons without major trophies. Mbappé, who helped PSG dominate the Champions League, now sits in a team seeking its identity again. He's the key factor, but also the one under the most pressure. The 2026 Ballon d'Or is approaching, and he's the top candidate. 10 goals at the World Cup, 22 goals all tournaments, making him the all-time leading scorer in World Cup history. But LaLiga is different. The Betis loss, the missed late penalty, all form a chain of events that makes people wonder: is the personal style still suitable when the team is unstable? The contrarian angle here is the isolation of a superstar. Mbappé affirms that he feels like the best, and he doesn't want to compare with others. That's how he maintains confidence, but it may also hide the need for improvement. Instead of sitting and waiting, he chooses to defend with his own style: charging in, pressing, scoring. But when Real Madrid faces Inter Milan in the Champions League, when LaLiga still has many important matches, the difference between individual and collective will be clear. Mbappé knows it. He's not a player who chases the ball, he's the one who brings emotion. And that emotion, in a team struggling, sometimes becomes a burden. The takeaway, from the perspective of someone following Southeast Asian football like me, is this: personal glory doesn't exist alone. Mbappé has proven through the World Cup that he can lead, but Real Madrid needs him and his teammates together. The question is, when the Ballon d'Or arrives, when he's 25 at his peak, will his pressing style still be enough? Or will he have to learn to adjust, like how he adjusted from PSG to Real Madrid. The pitch never forgives loneliness. And Mbappé, with his low voice, is reminding us all that no matter how confident, it's only part of a bigger story.