Real Madrid possesses three top-tier attacking stars in Kylian Mbappe, Vinicius Junior, and Rodrygo, but their similar playing styles have become a barrier to creating the expected synergy.
Right after the 3-0 win against Valladolid, coach Carlo Ancelotti recognized this issue. “I didn’t see a positive attitude in collective defending,” he expressed. This complaint was clearly aimed at the three attacking stars.
Both Mbappe, Vinicius, and Rodrygo are reluctant to participate in defense and are not aggressive in pressing, making Real Madrid prone to imbalance in the midfield. Valladolid successfully exploited these gaps to launch quick counter-attacks.
However, labeling them as “lazy” in defense might not be accurate, as all three are highly motivated and professional. The real issue lies in their playing styles. None of them are the “workhorse” type, chasing the ball at all costs. They are predators, lurking and striking with their superior attacking skills.
More importantly, they are all lone predators. This is the core commonality among the trio: all three prefer solo play, are excellent ball handlers, and are among the most terrifying space thieves in Europe.
This is also why their connection is not strong. In the first two La Liga matches, their communication was rather loose. Time may help Mbappe, Vinicius, and Rodrygo play more cohesively, but by nature, they are players born not to serve anyone but themselves.
The overlapping of positions between them was predicted even before Mbappe officially joined Real Madrid. In the match against Valladolid, Mbappe’s most dangerous moments came from the left wing, where he could sprint over 30 meters—also Vinicius’s preferred space.
Ancelotti had to place Mbappe in the number 9 role because there were no other options. However, in this position, Mbappe is neither as good as Ronaldo in scoring nor as effective as Karim Benzema in dropping deep to organize play. To regain his comfort, Mbappe eventually encroached into Vinicius’s space.
Although the presence of Mbappe, Vinicius, and Rodrygo makes Real Madrid’s attacking force formidable, a good attack requires mutual support within a cohesive system. This poses a challenge for Ancelotti.
If Toni Kroos were still at Real Madrid, the German midfielder’s playmaking would serve as a catalyst for this trio. But now, Ancelotti may have to rely on Jude Bellingham and change the formation to a 4-3-1-2 with Bellingham as a number 10, and Rodrygo being benched. However, this is not the Italian coach’s preferred solution.
With the trio of Mbappe, Vinicius, and Rodrygo, Real Madrid can only optimize individual strengths, but face difficulties in building an effective system. This issue will become more apparent when they face top-tier opponents.