Luis Figo has put a name to Real Madrid's problems this season — and it's the one on the back of the most expensive shirt in the squad. "Mbappé's arrival has filled the Real Madrid dressing room with selfishness," the former Ballon d'Or winner told MARCA. That's a damning diagnosis, and it lands harder coming from someone who played in that dressing room himself.
Madrid's season has been, by their own standards, a failure. No title. A coaching change mid-season. And now a former club legend pointing at the atmosphere inside the building as a root cause rather than just tactics or form.
Xabi Alonso Was Never Really Given a Chance
On the decision to replace Xabi Alonso with Arbeloa after only a handful of months in charge, Figo was blunt: "I don't think he has had time. We haven't even had time to make an analysis of the months he has been here. It's very complicated."
That's a significant point. Judging a coach on a partial season — especially one inherited mid-collapse — tells you very little. Whether Alonso was the right man or not, the evidence base simply wasn't there. Madrid pulled the trigger on instinct, not analysis.
Those kinds of reactive decisions have a way of compounding problems. The dressing room dynamics Figo describes don't fix themselves with a managerial swap.
PSG and Bayern Are His Champions League Picks
With the semi-finals set, Figo named PSG and Bayern Munich as his favourites. "For what they have shown, my favourites are PSG and Bayern. They are two very strong teams. I like their way of playing football." Clean, considered — and notably, no Madrid in that conversation.
On the 2026 World Cup, Figo sees Portugal as a quality contender even if history doesn't back them up the way it does France, Spain, Brazil, or Argentina. "Portugal is not on the front line of favorites because of history, but because of quality it is." Fair framing — Portugal consistently punch above their historical weight at tournaments.
He also praised Lamine Yamal, calling him "an incredible talent" and expressing hope for his continued development. At 17, Yamal is already changing games at the highest level — the kind of player who makes opposition defensive odds look fragile every time he gets the ball in wide areas.
But the line people will remember from this interview isn't about Yamal, or Portugal, or the Champions League. It's "selfishness." One word. One player implied. Madrid's summer just got a lot more complicated.
