French Madness: Unraveling the Mystery Behind Real Madrid Striker Mbappe - Chris Beattie, Editor

New team, new country, new language, new league – Mbappe has faced numerous obstacles in his first step as a footballer abroad. Despite these challenges, the young star has managed to impress at Real Madrid with seven goals in his first 11 games. In LaLiga, he has scored five goals in eight appearances. The adjustment period is still ongoing, but Mbappe's impressive goal-scoring record speaks volumes about his talent and adaptability. This is far from the numbers of a player in crisis.

But this is what we're getting from the exes in France. They're queuing up over there to pull apart potentially the greatest player their country has produced. Jerome Rothen. Christophe Dugarry. Bixente Lizarazu. Even Patrice Evra. They've all had their pop at Mbappe this season. And it's been centred not on form - but ability. Attitude. Claims that this column have found staggering - particularly from the feedback we're getting from Valdebebas.

World Cup winner Lizarazu has claimed Mbappe is "no longer explosive nor decisive". Dugarry has branded the 25 year-old's attitude as "catastrophic". And Evra effectively has declared  Mbappe overrated, insisting he's "not reached the level of (Karim) Benzema".

Though to be fair to Evra, he was actually trying to defend Mbappe, insisting the French public and football community had built up a myth that was far from reality.

"It is not (coach Didier) Deschamps, but all of France that gave too much to Mbappe," said the Manchester United Champions League winner. "You gave him the keys to PSG, you give him the keys to the French national team, but Mbappé is still a young player.

"It was you who created that legend around Mbappé. With all due respect to him, he has not yet reached (Karim) Benzema's level."

But for this column, Evra is wrong. France are right to build up Mbappe. To place expectations on his shoulders. We're talking about a generational talent. He proved this to all of us in the '22 World Cup final. Mbappe producing an individual performance in Doha never before seen in a final. He was the outstanding player - and leader - on the pitch that night. That's what he is capable of. That's what Real Madrid - and France - should expect. And given the start to his LaLiga career, it is something he is now building towards.

But in contrast Dugarry, another World Cup winner, instead agrees with Evra: "I think all this has ended up catching up with him, putting him too high...  the boy is totally disconnected from what he can do and what is expected of him."

But this flies in the face from what we've been told of Mbappe's behaviour in-and-around the club. The Frenchman has been humble. "Respectful". His teammates have embraced him. As have all the staff, with Mbappe showing no signs of the "Hollywood" claims that accompanied him as he made his Bosman move from Paris. Indeed, the opposite is the order, with our source admitting how surprised people are by how Mbappe has been portrayed and the young man they mix with every week. That he pushed himself to make last week's Champions League defeat at Lille - several weeks before his expected return from a thigh strain - was no surprise to anyone working with him daily.

On the pitch, yes Real Madrid have stumbled. Carlo Ancelotti appears to be struggling, in the absence of Toni Kroos, to get his team firing on all cylinders. But that should only strengthen the support for Mbappe from the likes of Dugarry and co. Seven goals in 11 games is an excellent return for any new striker. But such a record in a struggling team? It really deserves greater recognition how Mbappe is producing while Ancelotti and his staff grapple with early season issues.

And it will click. The team. Mbappe. There will come a moment when it all comes together. And the Frenchman will explode. At the moment, it's been fits and starts. But the goals output has been excellent. And as his match fitness reaches optimal level. As his understanding with teammates nears complete cohesion. We're going to see something exceptional. And consistently. Indeed, coaching staff were saying three weeks ago to trusted media confidants that "Mbappe will get 50 goals this season". 

They know what they have, do Real Madrid. And France should too. Yeah, there's bitterness over the way Mbappe left PSG without a penny. But that shouldn't cloud the judgement of Mbappe the footballer. The leader.

There's some great talent in today's game. But then there's daylight... and then there's Kylian Mbappe. The French have one of the game's greats on their hands. It's madness how today they're running him down.