Kylian Mbappe's Hidden Weapon Sheath

MADRID, SUNDAY – Kylian Mbappe is used to scoring goals, except from free kicks. The puzzle piece of a striker has slipped away from him as none of Mbappe's goals have come from free kicks. Mbappe finally unmasked his hidden weapon in the match against the relegation zone team, Leganes, Sunday (30/3/2025) early morning WIB. Mbappe's free kick goal brought Real Madrid back to win 3-2.

As one of the best attackers in the world, Mbappe is often compared to two football megastars, Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo. Messi and Ronaldo possess complete abilities. They can score goals from all kinds of situations and positions, including free kicks. This is something Mbappe has never accomplished throughout his career.

Mbappe often utilizes his sprinting speed to penetrate the opponent's defense during transitions. Mbappe's hidden weapon was unveiled when he scored Real's winning goal against Leganes at Santiago Bernabeu Stadium, Madrid. In addition to his speed, Mbappe demonstrated his skill in executing free kicks from a distance of approximately 22 meters.

In executing the free kick, Mbappe received a slight assist from Fran Garcia. The ball was first held by Garcia before being kicked by Mbappe. Mbappe's shot curved past Leganes' defensive wall. In an instant, the ball had nestled into the bottom left corner of goalkeeper Marko Dmitrovic's net.

I knew that from that angle, I could kick like that. I saw the space and asked my teammates if they would allow me to take the free kick.

The goal caused the entire stadium to erupt in cheers. In addition to celebrating Mbappe's rare goal, Real supporters rejoiced as their team managed to turn the game around after trailing in the first half. In a post-match interview, Mbappe dedicated the goal to his teammates and the coaching staff who helped him hone his hidden weapon: the ability to execute free kicks.

"We have been practicing that free kick with the coaching staff for several weeks. I knew that from that angle, I could kick like that. I saw the space and asked my teammates if they would allow me to take it (the free kick)," said Mbappe, as quoted from Real's website.

Although he is not known for his expertise in executing free kicks, Mbappe was still appointed by coach Carlo Ancelotti as the team's primary executor this season. The role of free-kick taker was initially held by Toni Kroos. After Kroos retired at the end of last season, Ancelotti unhesitatingly chose Mbappe.

Many questioned Ancelotti's decision. Because, during his time playing in the French League, Mbappe has never scored a goal from a free kick. Mbappe's statistics are much more impressive when taking penalties. Of the 47 penalties Mbappe has taken throughout his career, he has only failed 12 times.

Ancelotti also proved that his decision to trust Mbappe as Real's main free-kick taker was not wrong. He always believed in Mbappe's potential. In Ancelotti's eyes, Mbappe is not just a striker who only relies on running speed, but also free-kick technique.

"He has adapted very well and made the difference. That's what we wanted from him. He tried a free-kick yesterday and it went well. He was very effective. We put our trust in him today," said Ancelotti.

Ancelotti's trust was fully paid off by Mbappe. The free kick goal finally sealed Real's victory, which in the first half was shocked by Leganes goals scored by Diego Garcia and Daniel Raba. In the first half, Real opened the lead first through Mbappe's penalty.

After falling behind, Real increased the intensity of their attacks in the second half. Real fired a total of 13 shots with five of them on target. Real's equalizer finally came thanks to Jude Bellingham's astuteness in optimizing a loose ball that bounced off the crossbar. After that, Real finally secured full points thanks to Mbappe's free kick.

"We were not in a good position, but we had intensity because we came from behind and in the end we won. I can't remember a game where we didn't suffer. The important thing is that we all suffered and sacrificed. There are no easy games and we are very aware of that," said Ancelotti.

Thanks to the additional three points from Leganes, Real can keep the pressure on Barcelona at the top of the Spanish League standings. Both teams have collected 63 points, but Barca still has one game in hand against Girona. If they win, Barca will certainly be three points ahead of Real again.