Mbappe has scored over half of Real Madrid’s goals this season. Who needs to step up? – The Athletic
This international break has given Real Madrid a chance to stew on two worrying results.
The first was the 1-0 defeat by Liverpool at Anfield in the Champions League, reigniting doubts about Xabi Alonso’s side in big games. The second was a goalless draw against Rayo Vallecano in La Liga — making it the first time they had failed to score in back-to-back games since May 2023. That is despite Madrid boasting attacking stars Kylian Mbappe, Vinicius Junior and Jude Bellingham, among others.
With 18 goals in 16 games, Mbappe has undoubtedly led the way. He has scored nearly 53 per cent of Madrid’s goals this season; at this stage of the last campaign, Vinicius Jr had provided the highest proportion with just over 28 per cent while Mbappe had scored 25 per cent.
Madrid are actually generating a higher expected goals (xG) figure under Alonso this year than last and scoring more goals and non-penalty goals, as the table below shows. But their shot conversion rate has gone down, despite taking more touches in the opposition box and shots than last campaign.
Real Madrid after 16 games this season/last season
2024-252025-26
Goals
32
34
Expected goals
33.3
37.9
Non-penalty goals
26
27
Expected non-penalty goals
28.6
30.8
Total shots
270
321
Shot conversion rate
11.90%
10.60%
Touches in the opposition box
551
623
So, who are the forwards who have been underperforming in front of goal?
Kylian Mbappe is in fine goalscoring form for Real Madrid (Jose Breton/Pics Action/NurPhoto via Getty Images)
Vinicius Jr (six games without a goal)
The 25-year-old Brazil forward is Madrid’s second-highest scorer for the season with five goals, but he now appears stuck and surrounded by controversy due to his difficult relationship with Alonso.
His last goal came against Villarreal on October 4, when he scored a double in a 3-1 win at the Bernabeu. Since then, he has not scored or provided an assist in six consecutive games.
Vinicius Jr’s tension with the new coach is a daily topic of conversation inside and outside the club. He believes Alonso is not being fair to him, after only completing five of 16 games so far this campaign and being on the bench for three fixtures.
He reacted with anger when he was replaced in the second half of October’s Clasico at the Bernabeu, with broadcaster DAZN capturing him saying “I’m leaving the team”. The Brazilian then issued a statement apologising “to all the Madridistas for my reaction” and to his “team-mates, the club, and the president” — but he did not include Alonso.
Vinicius Jr’s contract renewal is on hold, with his current deal running until 2027. His goals and expected goals per 90 minutes are marginally lower than over the whole of the last campaign (0.4 and 0.41 respectively compared to 0.45 and 0.48 last season).
Jude Bellingham (two games without a goal)
Remember when Bellingham first joined Madrid in 2023 and scored a career-best 23 goals in his debut campaign despite being a midfielder? Much has changed for him at the Bernabeu since.
At club level, Bellingham has been inconsistent this season, although training-ground sources, who, like all those cited in this article, asked to remain anonymous to protect relationships, point to his recovery from shoulder surgery as a reason for this. He underwent that procedure in July, after the Club World Cup, and returned at the end of September. His initial return date was slated for October.
Still, Bellingham needed to get up to speed. Alonso trusted him with a start in the Madrid derby against Atletico, his first game back since that surgery, but the coach benched him for two successive games after that 5-2 thrashing — which the Englishman did not like.
He has scored three goals, which came in three consecutive games against Juventus, Barcelona and Valencia in October. But he failed to find the back of the net against Liverpool and Rayo, as had been the case in his first six appearances of the season. Even so, his goals per 90 minutes (0.41) and xG per 90 (0.5) are both higher than over the whole of the last season, albeit from a very small sample size.
Alonso has said in several press conferences that he wants him to play as a midfielder, without losing his impact in the opposition area. Bellingham would prefer to play further forward, as his previous coach Carlo Ancelotti used him. The below graphic shows how Bellingham has mostly played as an attacking midfielder since joining Madrid in 2023 while also appearing on the left last campaign.
The surgery and his inconsistent form meant he was not included in England manager Thomas Tuchel’s squad for the international breaks in September and October. He returned to the national team for this month’s World Cup qualifiers against Serbia and Albania and impressed in the first fixture after coming off the bench for Morgan Rogers, suggesting he could cement himself as Tuchel’s No 10 for next summer’s tournament in the United States, Canada and Mexico.
Franco Mastantuono (six games without a goal)
The 18-year-old Argentina playmaker — who joined in a €63.2million (£55.9m, $73.5m) deal from River Plate this summer — is the third-most used forward this season with 689 minutes played, despite missing the last two games with a groin injury. There is caution behind the scenes as to how long he will be out of action.
Madrid clearly have faith in him, given he was their most expensive signing this summer. He has shown flashes of quality and intensity but is still finding his feet. He has scored just once in 12 games, on September 23 against Levante. He provided an assist against Kairat in the Champions League but his 3.3 shot creating actions per 90 minutes in La Liga place him behind seven other Madrid players.
Staff sources say Mastantuono has shown plenty of personality since he arrived at Madrid and has integrated well, constantly making jokes with his new team-mates. They add that Alonso asked the Argentine to be more aware of his positioning, particularly when it came to not peeling off the right wing so much.
He will need time to settle in — but his situation highlights Alonso’s difficulties on the right wing, where he has not found the piece to complete his puzzle.
Franco Mastantuono has shown flashes of quality but needs time (Oscar J. Barroso/Europa Press via Getty Images)
Rodrygo (13 games without a goal)
The 24-year-old Brazilian’s case is probably the most alarming. He has not scored a goal in an official match for Madrid since March 4 in the first leg of the Champions League round-of-16 tie against Atletico Madrid. His last goal in La Liga came on January 19.
Rodrygo has contributed just two assists in 13 games this term but he actually ranks highest for shot-creating actions per 90 in La Liga for Alonso’s squad, with 7.24 — more than Vinicius Jr and Mbappe.
In initial conversations with Alonso, he expressed his preference for playing on the left wing, where he feels more comfortable but where his compatriot Vinicius Jr is well established. Rodrygo began playing there in August in place of Vinicius Jr, but in recent weeks he has returned to the right — his usual position since his €45million move from Santos in 2019.
Madrid and Alonso were both open to his departure in the summer if a reasonable offer came in, but this did not happen, despite interest from Premier League suitors.
He is not happy with his role in the side, but those close to him do not see him leaving in the January transfer window.
The forward’s attacking numbers this season are telling. He is actually taking more shots per 90 minutes than last campaign (3.8 compared to 2.6) but has generated an xG of 0.18 compared to 0.24 over the whole of the previous campaign. This is from an extremely small sample size, however, given Rodrygo has only played the equivalent of four full matches.
Brahim Diaz (six games without a goal)
Brahim has started four times this season and played in all but three games, showing how much Alonso values him as a useful rotation player.
The club also value his qualities and attitude, while his contract renewal is practically a done deal (he signed a new contract until 2027 in 2023).
But the 26-year-old Spain-born Morocco forward has not made a significant impact in attack, scoring only once, against Kazakhstani side Kairat in the Champions League. He has provided two assists. His expected goals per 90 have fallen to 0.18 from 0.36 over the whole of last season, despite taking the same number of total shots on average (2.1).
Brahim Diaz has gone six games without a goal (Federico Titone/SOPA Images/LightRocket via Getty Images)
Other options: Arda Guler, Gonzalo Garcia and Endrick (combined 18 games without a goal)
Guler has emerged as a goalscorer during the recent goal drought — despite the 20-year-old playmaker being moved back to midfield by Alonso. The youngster has three goals and six assists, but he last found the back of the net at the end of September, meaning he has gone eight games without a goal.
Academy graduate Gonzalo Garcia impressed everyone at the Club World Cup in the United States, winning the Golden Boot with four goals in Mbappe’s absence through illness. That earned the 21-year-old striker a contract renewal and promotion to Alonso’s first team. But since then, he has played in nine games, started just once and has not scored in his 108 minutes of playing time.
Brazilian youngster Endrick returned to action from a muscle injury in mid-September and has played just 11 minutes under Alonso in 4-0 win against Valencia earlier this month. Barring a major surprise, he will go on loan to French side Lyon without an option to buy in January.
The club do not agree with Alonso’s handling of the 19-year-old, who Madrid paid Palmeiras €35million for plus €25m in variables, of which at least €12.5m has already been paid.
