In a recent interview with Edu Aguirre on El Chiringuito de Jugones, Karim Benzema shared his insights on Kylian Mbappé and the challenges he might face at Real Madrid. The former Real Madrid star, now playing for Al Ittihad, emphasized that for Mbappé to truly succeed at the Santiago Bernabéu, he must adapt to a new role and embrace the pressure that comes with it.

Benzema noted that while Mbappé has excelled on the left flank, he believes the French forward should consider taking on the number nine role. "The problem for me is that Mbappé is not a center forward. Whenever he plays as a '9' for France, he doesn't perform well; that's not his position," Benzema explained. He highlighted that with Vinícius Júnior currently thriving on the left, it would be challenging for Ancelotti to accommodate both players in their preferred positions.

He advised Mbappé to forget the left wing and focus on being a striker, stating, "He has to get it into his head that he needs to be a '9' and forget about the left. He's been great on the left, but now he has to excel in a different role."

Benzema also touched on the intensity of playing for Real Madrid compared to Paris Saint-Germain, urging Mbappé to adjust to the heightened expectations. "My situation in my first year and Kylian's is different. I was 21 years old, and he is 25; it’s not the same. He knows there’s a lot of pressure at Real Madrid. If you don’t score in two or three matches, they’ll criticize you. He needs to learn to live with that pressure."

Finally, Benzema reaffirmed his belief that Vinícius is currently the best in the world in his position, making it unlikely that Ancelotti would shift him around to accommodate Mbappé. As the football world watches closely, it remains to be seen how Kylian will respond to this new chapter in his career.