Where Zidane, Mbappe, Ronaldo, and Bale get booed too...Why do Real Madrid fans boo their team's players
Where Zidane, Mbappe, Ronaldo, and Bale get booed too...Why do Real Madrid fans boo their team's players
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If Kylian Mbappe is booed even at the Santiago Bernabeu, the home of Real Madrid, one can guess how harsh the standards fans have.
Real Madrid beat Athletic 1-0 in April 2025. The match took place right after losing to Arsenal in the quarterfinals of the Champions League. In the match, Mbappe could not avoid booing the Bernabeu crowd. Despite being the winner of the 2018 World Cup and the most prolific scorer in his team this season, The Athletic reported on Sunday that even legendary players including Cristiano Ronaldo, Iker Casillas, and Alfredo Di Stefano could not avoid booing. "Galactico players including Mbappe, Vinicius Junior, and Jude Bellingham participated in this season's event, but fans' standards are still high and the whistle is still ringing as a warning to players," The Athletic said.
■"Why Whistle?"…Booing originating from the bullfighting culture: In Spain, booing is not just a booing. It has its own way of 'whistle'. This is not just from the soccer field, but from the bullfighting culture incorporated throughout Spanish society. In bullfighting, the audience expresses disappointment with the whistle if the performance is not satisfactory.
Madrid is a highly critical city. The example of the whistle in Real Madrid's history dates back to the 1920s. The most notable figure is Gaspar Rubio. When he returned from his unauthorized visit to Cuba and Mexico in 1932, he was baptized with the whistle on a large scale.
In the 1950s, when Real Madrid won its first golden age of five consecutive European Champions Cup titles, there was no exception. Francisco's "Paco" Hento was the only one who had grabbed the top spot in Europe six times, but he did not receive recognition from fans in the beginning. His ball speed is fast but he loses control of his ball. The club even considered returning to its original team. Di Stefanozzo couldn't avoid booing. In a 1962 commercial, a scene where Di Stefano's face was compounded on a woman wearing stockings was controversial, and the whistle blew on the stadium.
■"Real is on display every week"…Valdano's confession: Jorge Valdano, one of Real's iconic figures in the 1980s, was also able to avoid the whistle. "My week at Real Madrid is more pressure than the Argentine national team," he said. "Real players are always playing in self-defense." Valdano spent his best season winning the UEFA Cup and the World Cup at the same time. Mitchell Gonzalez was also booed at the same time. Gonzalez left the stadium on his own after being booed during the match against Espanyol after clinching the league title in 1989. "I feel like I'm being scolded even on my wedding day," Gonzalez said. "I'm a professional, but I'm also a fan of Madrid. Such boos hurt my feelings."
■"The illusion that Whistle has influence"...Psychologist Analysis: "Fans experience the 'mirror effect' of comparing past heroes with present athletes," sports psychologist Sarah Martinez de Espéjo said. "If they fail to meet the criteria, anger will arise, and they will whistle under the illusion that they can influence them. Psychologically, they are aiming for a kind of provocation effect on athletes." Such pressure does not affect all athletes positively. "The whistle can cause anxiety about expected failure, deepen self-doubt, and cause emotional distancing to the athletes," Espéjo warned.
■ Ronaldo, Vale, Mourinho, Kashiyasu…No one is exceptional: in 2017, Ronaldo was whistled when he missed the ball against Sociedad. He swore at the fans. Gareth Bale was even worse. "I was confused at first. Boos undermine confidence," he said. "Fans should help him do better."
Jose Mourinho also got the whistle in the match against Atletico in 2012. Later, he told a news conference that Zidane, Ronaldo and Cristiano Ronaldo all received the whistle. Is there a reason why I don't get the whistle?"
Back then, legendary goalkeeper Iker Casillas lost the support of his fans due to Mourinho's conflict. At the end of the 2015 season against Valencia, the whistle blew whenever he caught the ball. Casillas said to the camera, "Do as much as you want, damn it."
Mbappe has been whistled several times this season, and after he was eliminated from the Champions League, there was booing just by showing his face on the TV screen. There was also a whistle from fans when he was replaced against Valencia, and he was not happy with his fans even after scoring a goal. 스포츠토토
Coach Carlo Ancelotti became the subject of criticism this season. After losing to Barcelona 2-5 in the SuperCoppa Final, the whistle blew when his name was called in later matches. Ancelotti calmly accepted the offer, calling it a wake-up call.