Kylian Mbappé passionately defended his playing style and work rate at Real Madrid, denying that his off-ball efforts are an issue compared to teammates Vinícius Júnior and others. Speaking at a news conference on Monday, Mbappé stated, "Just me and Vinicius?" when asked about defensive requirements, adding that while improvement is natural, his goal-scoring record speaks for itself. He claimed he scores more than Ousmane Dembélé and Raphinha, but refused to make direct comparisons.

Madrid suffered their first La Liga defeat of the season, losing 1-0 at Real Betis, where Mbappé also missed a late penalty. Mbappé has gone two seasons without a major trophy since joining Madrid, while Paris Saint-Germain won back-to-back Champions Leagues in the same period. Regarding the controversial non-retaken penalty, Mbappé admitted he "always" feels like the best player in the world, though he noted the award is voted on by journalists.

He remained tight-lipped on whether this is the year he will win the Ballon d'Or, stating there is still a long way to go. Mourinho recently criticized the penalty decision, questioning why VAR did not retake Mbappé's spot-kick against Betis. Mbappé dismissed claims the dressing room atmosphere needed improvement under new coach José Mourinho, insisting the environment remains positive despite last season's difficulties under Xabi Alonso and Álvaro Arbeloa.