Scapegoat! Arsene Wenger slams unfair treatment of Kylian Mbappe at Real Madrid

Former Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger believes Kylian Mbappe has been made a scapegoat at Real Madrid following the Spanish giant disappointing season.

Mbappe endured a frustrating spell in his second season at Madrid. Despite his personal achievement in terms of goals scored, Real Madrid failed to win a title.

The Frenchman scored 42 goals across all competitions, but his team failed to compete in Europe and domestically.

However, Wenger has leapt to the defence of Kylian Mbappe, claiming the forward has been unfairly targeted. The legendary coach believes the Frenchman has become the fall guy for a Real Madrid side that is no longer the flawless machine of old.

Kylian Mbappe will be leading the France national team at the 2026 World Cup. (Photo by Franco Arland/Getty Images)

“There’s one man who is at the centre of all expectations: Kylian Mbappe,” Wenger told Le Figaro. “I’m ready to bet on it, he’s going to have a fantastic World Cup. He’s been unfairly criticised often this season. He landed in an average Real Madrid team. Real has three or four world-class players. Before, they had ten. Football is such that you always need a scapegoat. He’s become that.”

While some fear Mbappe’s bit-part role during certain injury spells this season might have hampered his rhythm, Wenger views the situation as a major tactical advantage for Les Bleus.

Arsene Wenger looks on during the UEFA Champions League Final 2026 match between PSG and Arsenal FC . (Photo by Chris Brunskill/Fantasista/Getty Images)

“Kylian has everything it takes to have a great World Cup. He’s physically fresh, he’s not overworked,” the former Arsenal boss added. “I’ve seen players with 60 matches under their belts before the World Cup tell me, ‘I’m not making any progress in training and I have nothing left in my legs,’ but he’s not like that. There are international players who arrive completely exhausted. I haven’t seen many players have a great World Cup after a Champions League final.”

Wenger added that France possess a level of “power” that other nations simply cannot match over 90 minutes, especially with the tactical experience of their long-serving head coach.

“I put them above the others. France have so much talent and Deschamps has experience,” Wenger noted. “We have so many attacking players that the danger is being a little unbalanced offensively. But today, the modern player, even an attacking one, knows how to do his share of the defensive work. When you’re 0-0 against France with 20 minutes to go, you lose the match. Power makes the difference.”