Is Kylian Mbappe a curse for Real Madrid? Following their aggregate defeat to Bayern Munich, Los Blancos face a managerial crisis and a squad regression that Florentino Perez must answer for.

The fallout from Real Madrid’s 6-4 aggregate defeat against Bayern Munich in the Champions League quarter-final will inevitably rumble on for several weeks.

The competition was Madrid’s last realistic route to major silverware in a season which promised a lot, but will ultimately deliver nothing.

Barring a monumental collapse by Barcelona in La Liga, the 15-time European champions will end a second consecutive campaign without a trophy.

With that in mind, read on as we assess the repercussions for Real Madrid, starting with an issue which has been entirely of their own making.

Mbappe has proved to be a curse rather than a blessing

Kylian Mbappe is one of the best forwards in the world. That point is evidenced by his tally of 84 goals in 98 appearances for Los Blancos.

However, his desire to be the ‘main man’ is not only a problem Madrid didn’t need, but one which they could have avoided.

Mbappe scored 256 goals in 308 for Paris Saint-Germain. However, his efforts in front of goal failed to deliver the desired results in the Champions League.

In their first season without the French international in their team, PSG were crowned kings of Europe. They have reached the semi-finals again this season.

By contrast, Mbappe has made Madrid worse. They won La Liga and the Champions League in 20234/24 – since then, they have suffered a series of disappointments.

The 27-year-old’s ego was problematic when he was at PSG, and has continued to upset the equilibrium in Madrid’s dressing room.

Players such as Jude Bellingham and Vinicius Junior are no shrinking violets, yet are expected to play second fiddle to the ‘Mbappe Show’.

Intriguingly, Madrid looked far more coherent as a team when Mbappe was recently sidelined with a knee injury. With Vinicius and Brahim Diaz leading the line, they were more balanced.

It may seem churlish to question a player who has scored goals for fun in Madrid colours, but it cannot be ignored that they have regressed since signing him.

Arbeloa on shaky ground after Champions League exit

Madrid’s decision to appoint Xabi Alonso as manager last summer appeared to be a sensible decision with SportsView and other major football publications all predicting success for Los Blancos, but he lasted just seven months.

At a club packed with egos and led by president Florentino Perez, the former Bayer Leverkusen boss was always likely to be on a hiding to nothing.

Alonso quickly lost the dressing room, with Vinicius and Federico Valverde amongst the players who publicly expressed disapproval at his methods.

Appointing Alvaro Arbeloa as Alonso’s replacement was no real surprise. He had done well with the club’s youth and ‘B’ teams, so was viewed as a steady pair of hands.

However, the club’s failure to specify the length of his contract when he was placed in charge suggested that they were unsure whether he was the right man for the job.

A record of 13 wins and one draw in 21 matches highlights why Madrid may have been reluctant to confirm whether he was a long-term appointment.

Arbeloa will reportedly be replaced this summer, with Perez seemingly eager to bring in someone with a proven track record of success.

That may be easier said than done given the dearth of viable options currently available.

Madrid’s managerial options are thin on the ground

Alonso seemed to be the ideal fit for Madrid. He was a former player who subsequently enjoyed success as a manager with Bayer Leverkusen in the Bundesliga.

Sacking him after just seven months in charge did not seem like the brightest idea anyone had ever had, and developments this summer may hammer home that point.

Several managers have been linked with the Madrid managerial job including Zinedine Zidane, Jurgen Klopp and Maurico Pochettino.

Perez rates Zidane highly, but he seems destined to replace Didier Deschamps as the French national team manager at the end of the World Cup.

Klopp would be welcomed with open arms at the Santiago Bernabeu, but has demonstrated no desire to leave his position as head of Red Bull’s football operations.

Pochettino could be available after the World Cup, although nothing he has done with the United States national team suggests he is the right option for Madrid.

Bournemouth manager Andoni Iraola has been touted as a possibility after the club recently confirmed he will be leaving at the end of the season.

Several pundits believe the 43-year-old is an ‘elite-level’ manager, but whether he is ready to step into the Madrid hot-seat is hugely debatable.

Madrid’s eagerness to pander to egotistical players and dispense with Alonso’s services has created a problem that may find extremely difficult to fix this summer.

Norway star Jens Petter Hauge discusses his journey from AC Milan to Bodø/Glimt and his confidence heading into the World Cup 2026 as Norway returns to the global stage.

We are just two months away from the FIFA World Cup, which will see Norway return to a major tournament for the first time since Euro 2000, and one man who will be looking to play a crucial role for them is Jens Petter Hauge.

Born on October 12, 1999, Hauge was raised in Bodø and started off in Bodø/Glimt’s academy at 12 years old, ascending through the ranks before signing a professional contract on April 12, 2016. One day later, he came off the bench in the 64th minute and scored a hat-trick on his senior debut in a 6-0 cup win against IK Start.

Following in the footsteps of his idol Eden Hazard, Hauge quickly made a name for himself thanks to his fleet feet and change of direction, becoming the club’s youngest-ever goalscorer in the Eliteserien. Whilst he wasn’t able to prevent them from suffering relegation, he nevertheless excelled in the second division and helped them achieve promotion with 2 goals and 13 assists in 2017.

“When I got a little bit older, I started understanding more about football. Eden Hazard was my favorite player when he moved to Chelsea, and the way he was having fun while dribbling and scoring against the best teams in England,” stated Hauge in an exclusive World Soccer Talk interview. “It was special for me, and I wanted to be a player like him, so I would describe myself as an offensive player, good one-on-one, creating chances for my teammates and also myself.”

After being loaned out to second-tier Aalesunds FK, Hauge returned with a vengeance and racked up 9 goals and 3 assists in 29 appearances across all competitions. 2020 was even better, with Hauge coming out of the pandemic a stronger player and scoring 14 goals and 10 assists in 18 league appearances, prompting him to be named the Eliteserien Young Player of the Year.

Whilst he put them on track to win their maiden league title, he wasn’t able to enjoy the trophy: instead, after scoring a goal and an assist in a Europa League qualifier vs. Milan, he joined Milan for €5 million, signing a five-year contract. Hauge enjoyed a promising start to his Milan tenure, racking up 5 goals and 1 assist in 24 appearances, but he wasn’t able to lock down a starting spot during his time in Italy before eventually deciding to make the move to Eintracht Frankfurt in 2021.

Hauge quickly adapted to life in Germany, scoring in two of his first three Bundesliga matches and emerging as a vital cog under Oliver Glasner as Eintracht knocked out Real Betis, Barcelona, and West Ham before defeating Rangers on penalties to win the UEFA Europa League, their first continental trophy in 42 years. But rather than stay put and take part in the UEFA Champions League, Hauge was loaned out to Belgian side Gent shortly after being purchased by Eintracht.

He provided five assists in 29 appearances before heading back to Die Adler, where he struggled for regular minutes. Having scored 3 goals and 5 assists in 55 appearances for Die Adler, Hauge decided to head back to Bodø/Glimt on loan in January 2024, where he got off to a sensational start by assisting in his first two matches vs. Ajax and scoring 8 goals and 5 assists in 28 appearances en route to the championship.

It was only a matter of time before Bodø decided to finalize the transfer for an initial €3.5 million, signing him to a contract through December 31, 2028.

“It was a great start for me. Of course, it was a bit of a punch in the face that we didn’t beat Ajax and go through, but still, I was feeling like my fitness level was good. I also contributed with assists and scoring goals later on, so it was good to get that good start and feel that I’m still a good player, and just kept on working from there.”

Hauge continued to build on his momentum in 2024/25, kicking off his UEFA Europa League campaign with a brace and an assist vs. Porto before registering an assist against Olympiacos and Lazio, but he was unable to come up with the goods as the Norwegians lost to eventual winners Tottenham Hotspur in the semifinals.

After scoring 11 goals and 11 assists in 52 appearances, Hauge has taken things up a notch this season and established himself as one of the top Scandinavian players in Europe alongside the likes of Jesper Karlström, racking up 7 goals and 7 assists in 18 appearances, including 6 goals and 2 assists in 12 Champions League appearances. This form earned him a recall to the national team after a year out, making his 14th Norway appearance in a friendly against the Netherlands on March 27. And maybe, just maybe, he’ll have a role to play in this summer’s World Cup as Norway take on Iraq, France, and Senegal in Group I.

“I can promise you that myself and the rest of the national team and the coaching staff did everything we could to make sure that Norway went to a major tournament again, and now, it’s time for the World Cup in North America. It’s going to be amazing; it’s going to be one of the coolest tournaments. I think everything is up for grabs for us, because the team is so talented, and the young Norwegian players now are playing at the best leagues and in the best teams. We will try our best, but personally, I’m confident.”

Portugal must decide how Cristiano Ronaldo fits into their 2026 World Cup plans. At 41, can he still make a significant impact, or should he take a different role?

Portugal will head into the 2026 World Cup with one major question hanging over them – how to solve their Cristiano Ronaldo problem.

Ronaldo has bagged 143 goals and 46 assists in 226 international appearances. He holds the record for the most international goals in men’s soccer history.

However, there have been widespread debates about whether the 41-year-old will still make an impact when the World Cup is staged in North America this summer.

Portugal have been handed an easy task in Group K alongside Colombia, DR Congo and Uzbekistan.

While they will undoubtedly fancy their chances of making a deep run this summer, Ronaldo’s continued presence in the squad is potentially problematic.

Portugal shrug off Ronaldo’s absence

Ronaldo has not played for Portugal since his dismissal against the Republic of Ireland in a World Cup qualifying match last November.

He was suspended for the subsequent 9-1 victory over Armenia in their final qualifier, before missing the recent friendlies against Mexico and United States with a hamstring injury.

After being held to a goalless draw by Mexico, they breezed past the US courtesy of goals in either half by Francisco Trincao and Joao Felix.

Manager Roberto Martinez has indicated he is likely to return next week and everything points to him being part of the Portuguese squad this summer.

While Football Today and other news publications have questioned whether Ronaldo should play at the World Cup, Benfica manager Jose Mourinho believes Portugal cannot afford to be without him.

Mourinho worked with his compatriot when he was in charge of Real Madrid between 2010 and 2013, and is adamant that he should start in North America.

“Take Cristiano Ronaldo out of the picture and Portugal look like any run-of-the-mill team,” Mourinho told beIN SPORTS after the draw with Mexico.

“People keep asking us not to call him up. Well, he didn’t play, and you saw the result. No threat, no fear from the opposition. Just a team being put under pressure by Mexico.

“When Ronaldo is on the pitch, the opposition think twice. Without him, they don’t think at all.”

Martinez is falling into the same trap as Mourinho

Although Mourinho’s support for Ronaldo is understandable, judging how Portugal played without him in two friendlies is an exercise in futility.

Martinez is in danger of making the same mistake judging by comments he made in an in-depth interview with journalist Sid Lowe about Portugal’s recent performances.

“We have to accept there’s a debate because there’s only one Ronaldo, a historic icon who changed football – get in a lift and the conversation is the weather or Ronaldo,” Martínez said.

“Everyone has an opinion but it’s based on a perception of Ronaldo, a period of him. The biggest error people make is not analysing him today.

“After the Euros it was: ‘Portugal didn’t win because Cristiano’s playing.’ We won the Nations League and it’s ‘what will Portugal do when Ronaldo retires?’”

Defending Ronaldo’s underwhelming performances at the 2024 European Championship by pointing out the impact he had in the Nations League is a misstep by Martinez.

In simple terms, the Euros carry far more gravitas than the Nations League. The latter is effectively little more than a glorified friendly tournament.

Martinez would be well advised to pay more attention to Ronaldo’s record at previous World Cups, which does not paint a pretty picture.

He has tallied just eight goals and two assists in 22 appearances at the tournament, which is a poor record for a player of his quality.

Resilience alone will not be enough for Portugal

Ronaldo has played in five World Cups for Portugal. He helped them reach the semi-finals in 2006, but that is as good as it has got on the biggest stage.

Despite that record, Martinez believes Ronaldo has earned the right to feature in a sixth World Cup based on his performances in recent seasons.

“An elite player is not the talent, it’s the mentality, the resilience,” Martinez added. “He’s not the Manchester United or Real Madrid winger – he’s a number nine in the area.

“We depend on him to open spaces, score goals. Cristiano’s last three years in the national team were earned, day-by-day: he’s scored 25 in 30 games.

“I evaluate talent, experience, attitude today, and decisions are never taken in an office – they’re taken on a pitch, football takes them.”

Although Martinez’s support for Ronaldo is admirable, it could ultimately be the factor which prevents Portugal from lifting the trophy this summer.

Ronaldo’s previous record at the World Cup leaves a lot to be desired, while scoring goals in the Saudi Pro League proves little in the grand scheme of things.

A case can be made for Portugal using Ronaldo as an impact substitute this summer, but putting him in the starting XI will not achieve the desired results.