Real Madrid superstar Kylian Mbappe has been branded 'classless' and a 'sore loser' after viral footage captured him discouraging his teammates from performing a traditional guard of honour for rivals Barcelona.
The Controversial Moment in Defeat
The incident occurred on Sunday, 12th January 2026, immediately after Barcelona defeated Real Madrid 3-2 in the Spanish Super Cup final in Saudi Arabia. Having just received a guard of honour from the victorious Blaugrana players, a visibly frustrated Mbappe was seen on camera waving his Madrid colleagues away as they prepared to form the reciprocal two-line tribute.
Mbappe, who came on as a 76th-minute substitute, had been powerless to prevent Barcelona from securing a third consecutive cup final victory over Los Blancos. Goals from Raphinha (two) and Robert Lewandowski sealed the win for Hansi Flick's side, adding to their 5-2 triumph in last season's Super Cup and the 2025 Copa del Rey final.
Fans and President Laporta React
The video quickly spread across social media, drawing widespread condemnation. Supporters took to platform X to express their disdain, with one labelling his behaviour "disgraceful" and another simply stating "classless". A Barcelona fan commented, "Sore loser. Thank god my club doesn't have such pathetic unprofessional players."
Barcelona president Joan Laporta also publicly criticised the French forward. "I'm surprised by what he did," Laporta told RAC-1. "In victory and defeat, you have to be generous and respectful. This is sport, and you have to behave normally. I think that in our victory, we were generous and respectful of the opposing team. That's why I can't understand it."
Alonso Explains Mbappe's Late Introduction
Real Madrid manager Xabi Alonso provided context for Mbappe's role in the final, explaining his decision to use the 27-year-old as a substitute. Mbappe had only recently arrived in Saudi Arabia after recovering from a knee injury and was not deemed ready to start.
"He wasn't ready to start with the intensity the match was going to have, and that's why we decided against it," Alonso said post-match. "Kylian was supposed to come on just before we conceded the 2-3. We wanted him to create imbalance, a threat, to link up with him between the lines and in space. He gave us that a little later. It's a shame we were already behind on the scoreboard."
The defeat leaves Real Madrid four points behind Barcelona in the La Liga title race, with the next El Clasico scheduled for May at Camp Nou. Both clubs remain in contention in the Copa del Rey and the Champions League, setting the stage for potential fiery reunions later this season.
