José Mourinho praises Mbappé after Madrid hat-trick

Kylian Mbappé has given Real Madrid an ideal start to the new Liga season, and José Mourinho responded by describing the forward’s display as extraordinary. Mourinho said Mbappé’s influence extended beyond his goals, with his movement opening space for teammates and putting sustained pressure on the opposing defence.

Mbappé scored three times as Madrid defeated Real Sociedad 4-1 on Wednesday. The result made it two wins from two league matches after the opening victory over Espanyol, confirming a perfect start for the club. Madrid had to work hard in the first half but produced a more convincing performance after the interval.

Mourinho also pointed to the work Mbappé has put in during training since returning to the Spanish capital. The Portuguese coach said the France international remains highly motivated and wants to leave a mark on Madrid as well as on the history of the World Cup, where he has scored 22 goals.

The praise came with a qualification about the striker’s targets. Mourinho said he would prefer Mbappé to score 40 goals and help Madrid win titles rather than reach 60 without silverware. He presented the collective effort, rather than the attacker’s personal total, as the measure of a successful season.