Gareth Bale and Thierry Henry criticise Vinícius Jr. and Kylian Mbappé after Real Madrid’s loss to Liverpool

Two football greats — Gareth Bale and Thierry Henry — have openly criticised Vinícius Júnior and Kylian Mbappé following Real Madrid’s 1-0 defeat to Liverpool at Anfield in the Champions League.

The star forwards, both considered essential to Xabi Alonso’s attacking setup, failed to make an impact as Madrid struggled to create clear chances. Speaking as pundits after the match, Bale and Henry agreed that the duo looked flat and uninspired.

Bale: ‘It’s frustrating — there was no spark’

Bale, who played for Real Madrid from 2013 to 2022, expressed frustration with how Vinícius and Mbappé approached the game.

“I think the spark was missing — the one Henry and I talked about,” Bale said on Marca TV. “We didn’t see Mbappé or Vinícius in the final third doing a bit of magic to get Madrid back into the game.”

He continued: “It was disappointing to see so little quality in that final third. It’s frustrating — they’re overcomplicating things. Sometimes you just need to take on your full-back. They’re faster than anyone on the pitch, but maybe they hesitate because there’s no real number nine in the box to meet their crosses. Maybe that’s what Madrid are missing.”

Henry: ‘Why did Vinícius let him breathe?’

Thierry Henry was particularly critical of Vinícius Jr., while offering a slightly gentler take on Mbappé, his French compatriot.

“Vinícius had a good moment early on, pressing Conor Bradley in the first five to seven minutes,” Henry noted. “And then he just let him breathe. Why would you let him breathe? Keep pushing him until he gets a yellow card — then he can’t defend the same way. But that never happened.”

Henry’s comments highlight concerns over Vinícius’s consistency and aggression, especially in big European matches.

The defeat marked a frustrating night for Real Madrid, who failed to convert several late chances and now face growing questions about their attacking chemistry under Alonso.