Kylian Mbappé offered a rare look at his friendship with Jules Koundé, Barcelona defender, during the French team's camp. In statements quoted by The Touchline, the Real Madrid striker was upfront about the dynamics between the two outside the national team: "Yes, we'll see you in Spain. We enjoy each other much more than when I was at PSG."

The Bleus captain also acknowledged that Koundé — and Barcelona — have had the upper hand in recent times. “He has had the last word a little more lately, as we are not winning at Real Madrid, but we have always known how to separate things in the national team.”

Close friends, Mbappé highlighted that the conversations between the two go far beyond football. “He’s a guy I talk to about a lot of things, especially politics,” added the Real Madrid goalscorer.

In Didier Deschamps' hierarchy, both are key players: Mbappé continues to be France's big star and aims for a hat-trick of successful appearances in World Cups, while Koundé has been an important option at right-back and is looking to recover his best level throughout the tournament.

At Barcelona, Koundé was one of Hansi Flick's most influential players in 2024/25, in a season to remember. In 2025/26, a drop in form and constant injuries have made it difficult for him to repeat the previous year's performance — a context that is reflected in Mbappé's words.

Despite the “racy” fueled by the eternal Barça–Real duel, the striker stressed that rivalry never contaminates the French team's dressing room. On the Catalan side, it is noted that the Frenchman recognizes Barcelona's recent advantage since his arrival in Spain. Without yet having lifted trophies for Real Madrid, Mbappé hopes to reverse course in the 2026/27 season.