Mbappé: I didn't need anyone to convince me to join Real Madrid, and this is my response to the criticism

Kylian Mbappé spoke about the role played by Florentino, president of Real Madrid, in completing his transfer to the royal club, confirming that their relationship has extended for many years before he officially joined the royal team.

Mbappé said in a lengthy conversation with "AS": "He is the one who brought me here. All the time we maintained communication for ten years before my arrival. He always showed me affection and understanding in the context of every decision made, whether the decisions were positive or negative for Real Madrid."

He added: "He always told me that I would play one day at Real Madrid, and here I am, and the most important thing is that I am very happy. So I have to thank him for everything he has done and continues to do for me. He is the best president in the world."

"If I'm honest, nothing and no one needs to convince you to come to Real Madrid. In my story with Real Madrid, I wanted to come, but that wasn't possible, and in the end, there are moments and decisions in football that don't depend on you."

He added: "In football, there are things related to timing, and you have to wait until everything is going in the right direction before you can go. Everyone who was with me knew that at some point I would want to go to Real Madrid."

He said: "There was no doubt that I wanted to come, but sometimes when it’s not possible, you can’t avoid it and you have to accept it. Of course, there is disappointment, but a football player’s life is to look forward and not backward. No one needed to convince me to come to Real Madrid, not even Florentino, despite his great stature. It was clear."

Kylian Mbappé spoke about the coaches he has worked with during his career at Real Madrid, praising José Mourinho, the current manager of the team, and describing him as one of the smartest people he has met in his life. He emphasized that Mourinho is an exceptional coach, a leader, and a legendary figure in football.

He explained: "The four coaches I have worked with are important figures in the game. It is always a privilege to be part of the journey of these four. I learned things from all four because they have completely different ways of seeing football; they are winners in their careers, and you always learn from them. But it is true that it is different with Mourinho. He is one of the smartest people I have ever seen in my life. He is a leader; I knew that before he arrived, but when you see him every day, you realize he is a very special person, a legendary coach who has left his mark in his era, and he will continue to do so with us. For sure."

Regarding José Mourinho's demand for him to score 50 goals, Mbappé clarified: "No, he didn't give me a number, he told me to score goals. I don't set limits or a target for myself because you never know what can happen during the season, and scoring a specific number of goals means you are putting limits on yourself, and I don't want that. If I score a lot of goals, I will be very happy, and if I score less, I will be happy too, but I work in every match to help my team, and I stay focused at every moment."

Regarding the assist he provided to Espi against Elche: "Of course, that's clear. I prefer to win, and I have to pass the ball. I think I was able to score, but Espi was alone, and it was 100% certain that the goal would come; I didn't think for a moment about the possibility of shooting."

He concluded his remarks in response to criticism that he only cares about scoring goals: "That's their opinion. Over the years and with experience, I've learned that everyone in football has their own opinion, and you have to accept that. Sometimes they have the same vision as you, and sometimes it's different; there is no one way to win in football, there are millions of ways, and that's why I'm always open to listening. There are people who are just looking to provoke or cause harm, but for those who want to talk about football, with a clear structure and idea about the game, I'm always open to that, to see it from one angle or another. And you can also learn from that."