Mbappé walks 83% of the time: second-most passive striker in the top five leagues

Kylian Mbappé is the second-least active striker in Europe’s top five leagues in terms of physical activity, according to data from analytics account DataScout: 83% of the distance he covers is below the 15 km/h threshold, placing him just ahead of Sunderland’s Brian Brobbey in this unflattering ranking.

The statistic fuels a debate that has dogged the France captain since his arrival at Real Madrid: his defensive involvement and running volume are regularly criticized, even when individual results are on point. Because the other side of the figure is there: when Mbappé accelerates, he does so at full speed, with an average of 18 meters per sprint — the fourth-best performance in the Big 5 according to the same source.

This profile of an energy-efficient predator has not prevented him from posting a record of 8 goals in 8 matches across all competitions, including one in the Ligue des Champions against Inter Milan. Double Pichichi in La Liga last season, top scorer in the Ligue des Champions and the World Cup, the player developed in Bondy continues to influence the scoreline despite limited overall activity.

Mbappé is also preparing his return to competition after a left knee injury sustained with the France team in Turkey two weeks ago. He has resumed individual training and should be available in the coming days. Real Madrid, managed by José Mourinho, has a packed schedule: hosting Villarreal at the Bernabéu on Saturday evening, traveling to Rome in the Ligue des Champions on Wednesday, then hosting Leipzig before the first Clásico of the season against Barça at Camp Nou on October 25.