Beginning from the left side, Kylian Mbappe made his debut in the Champions League in the 2016–17 season. His performance in the round of 16 against Manchester City, coached by Pep Guardiola, was the catalyst for his introduction to the world.

The ‘9’ was Radamel Falcao while he was playing for Monaco, where he made his debut at the age of 18 and scored 26 goals.

The same was true when he signed for Paris Saint-Germain in the summer of 2017 for a fee of 140 million euros, thereby forming a dream trio with Edinson Cavani and Neymar.

Cavani played the position of centre forward for that team, whereas the Frenchman began his career on the wing, much as he did in Monaco. Mbappe, on the other hand, was the striker whenever Cavani was absent from the team.

“Cavani plays in that position and, although sometimes I have to do it, I’m not used to it. Next game I’ll go back to the right flank and that suits me better,” he said in 2017 after a match in Dijon.

The ‘9’ position has never been one that Mbappe has been particularly enthusiastic about playing. It was made very obvious to Unai Emery, Thomas Tuchel, Mauricio Pochettino, and Christophe Galtier that he has had a sense of being “corseted” in his role as a centre forward, as he is unable to sprint diagonally into the box.

“I play differently with France. I’m asked to do different things for the national team than at PSG. Here I have a lot more freedom. The coach knows that we have Olivier Giroud as a ‘9’, who fixes defences, and I can go into space. It’s different in Paris, that doesn’t exist. They ask me to play as a pivot,” Mbappe said at a training camp with Les Bleus.

Mbappe celebratesSoccrates ImagesMARCAMbappe uploaded a message on Instagram with the hashtag #pivotgang (the pivot gang) following a 0-0 draw in Reims during the previous season. The post was a reference to how Galtier wanted him to play up front, with his back to the goal, and as a centre striker.

The combination of Lionel Messi and Neymar in the last two seasons was not an easy one to manage in terms of the pattern that was being played out on the pitch. Mbappe played as a ‘9’ in 90.5% of the games that he wore the shirt in 2022/23, and they occupied similar areas with each other.

Similar numbers to those of the 2021-22 fiscal year (84.6%). Despite this, his numbers did not decrease at all. The previous season, they scored 41 goals, whereas the previous two seasons, they scored 39 goals. 

In the box, the ‘7’ is a killing machine. This season, he has played as a centre forward for Paris Saint-Germain, where he has scored 32 goals in 31 appearances. He has appeared in 61% of the matches (19). In the Champions League match against Real Sociedad, Ousmane Dembele and Bradley Barcola accompanied him on the flanks, which is also where the Frenchman was positioned. This is the plan that Luis Enrique has. As a result of Mbappe’s ability to serve as the attacking reference without being tethered in the danger zone, the two strikers that were signed this season, Gonzalo Ramos and Randal Kolo Muani, are playing less. 

“Kylian has the same freedom as when I arrived. No matter how much you insist, he doesn’t play as a ‘9’, but with total freedom, between the centre-backs, on the right or on the left. I don’t have to convince him of anything,” explained Enrique.

Mathieu PattierAP

The Spanish coach has given him a starting position in the centre but has not set him as a ‘9’: “Kylian plays where he decides. He has total freedom to play inside or more on the outside. If he’s more on the outside, it’s up to us to balance our positions”.

What would his role be at Real Madrid?

Once he has informed Paris Saint-Germain of his decision to leave the club in the summer of 2019, there is a position that would make it easier for him to integrate into Real Madrid during his arrival at the Bernabeu.

Mbappe would be a perfect fit for Carlo Ancelotti’s team in the center-forward position, given that Vinicius and Rodygo would be occupying the flanks while Jude Bellingham would be playing as a playmaker or false ‘9’.
Another option is to try to duplicate the ‘MNM’ formula that Galtier tried out in Paris, with Messi playing the position of ’10’ and Neymar and Mbappe playing up front. In this particular scenario, the Frenchman will be positioned in front of ‘Vini’, with Bellingham following behind. If Karim Benzema were to go, this would be the missing piece of the puzzle that would complete the picture. Everything is in place.