Real Madrid fans and media in Spain and France praised the decisive stance shown by Real Madrid's French international star Kylian Mbappe, following his defense of his Brazilian teammate Vinicius Junior during the match against Benfica in the first leg of the playoff qualifying for the Champions League round of 16.

The match witnessed a controversial incident after Vinicius was subjected to racial abuse by Benfica's Argentine player Gianluca Prestianni, which angered Real Madrid players and the coaching staff, before the match was halted for 10 minutes.

Television footage showed Mbappe intervening directly to defend his teammate, as he strongly reprimanded Prestianni and expressed his discontent with his behavior after the incident, before getting into verbal altercations with several players from the Portuguese team. Cameras also captured a conversation between him and Benfica's coach Jose Mourinho.

Mbappe's stance became a topic of discussion on social media platforms, where many considered his actions a testament to leadership and maturity on the field. In this context, French journalist Abdullah Boulema said: "Calm, composed and responsible... Kylian Mbappe's reaction after the match reflects great maturity and commands respect."

Mbappe did not stop at what happened on the field, but continued to support his teammate in his statements after the match, calling for strict measures against the involved player, confirming that he heard racist remarks directed at Vinicius.

Kylian also posted a message of support on the "X" platform, saying: "Dance, Vini... please never stop. No one will ever dictate to us what we should or shouldn't do," in a clear indication of his full solidarity with his teammate and his absolute rejection of any form of racism in stadiums.

Mbappe's stance reflects the image of a leader both on and off the field, at a time when calls continue within European sports circles for stricter sanctions to combat racism and protect players.