"Don't ask him to play like Lionel Messi" - France legend Platini sends message to coaches regarding Kylian Mbappe

French legend Michel Platini has cautioned coaches that Kylian Mbappe should not be asked to play like himself, Lionel Messi, Luka Modric, or Zinedine Zidane. Platini also added that his compatriot is a striker who delivers, and hence, coaches should build their squad for or around Mbappe.

In a recent discussion, Platini lauded Kylian Mbappe and advised coaches on how to utilize the Frenchman's proficiency. He said (via Sports Illustrated):

"I don't understand what the new coaches are thinking. He's a striker who scores. That's the most important thing. Then, you have to be clear about one thing: either you build a team for him, or you build a team to make him play well. That's the difficulty. Don't ask him to play like Messi, Modric, Platini, or Zidane. He is a striker."

Before moving to LaLiga to join Real Madrid in July 2024, Mbappe was known to be a forward who attacks from the left wing. However, in his first season at the Santiago Bernabeu, Mbappe has been Los Merengues' leading striker.

While this was due to Carlo Ancelotti's preference for Vinicius Junior as the prime left-winger, Mbappe registered a satisfactory stint in his first season. The Frenchman scored 31 goals to defeat Barcelona's talisman, Robert Lewandowski (27), to win the Pichichi award.

However, the appointment of Xabi Alonso as Madrid's new manager could bring about some tactical adjustments at the club. This could be why Platini is informing coaches on how Kylian Mbappe should be used in a tactical set-up.

"He's been good" - Michel Platini on Kylian Mbappe's first season at Real Madrid

21st Magna Graecia Festival 2024 - Stage - Source: Getty

Michel Platini also claimed that Mbappe has ‘been good’ since joining Madrid as a free agent after leaving Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) last summer. While acknowledging that Madrid did not have a great campaign, Platini mentioned some of his compatriot's achievements at the Santiago Bernabeu last term.

In the same interview, the former UEFA President said (via Sports Illustrated):

"He's scored 42 goals in Spain. He won the Golden Boot; he's the top scorer in Europe. That means he's been good. He's playing for a team that hasn't had a great year. Real Madrid is also getting older."

Mbappe undoubtedly proved his critics wrong by registering a dominant performance in the previous campaign (2024-25). However, he was unable to leverage his brilliance as Madrid lost three trophies to Barcelona this season.

About the author

Abel is an European football journalist who focuses primarily on analysis pieces and preview copies at Sportskeeda. A B.Sc degree holder in Economics, he has a previous work experience of 3 years – a year at Opera News Hub where he was promoted as a 'Verified Sports Writer,’ and over two years at Sportskeeda as a revenue-share writer, where his writing skills have ultimately led him to be integrated into the in-house team.

A Manchester United fan who grew up in a family of Red Devils supporters, he started his journey as an ardent football fan in his childhood. He used to spend hours watching the sport with his family and developed a knack for writing about the beautiful game over the years.

He is a huge admirer of Paul Pogba owing to the midfielder's ability to thread passes from anywhere on the pitch and his favorite manager is Jose Mourinho due to the Portuguese's tactical mind. He feels France's triumph in 2018 is his all-time favorite World Cup moment, and reckons Lamine Yamal and Endrick could replicate the rivalry between Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo.

Abel always strives to verify information, especially statistics, before penning a word and offers constructive but not defamatory criticisms. Apart from Europe's top five leagues, he follows the Eredivisie and the Primeira Liga. He loves to spend his free time playing video games like EA FC and watching movies.

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Edited by Aditya Singh