Diouf: Inter frustrated after Real Madrid loss, but Mbappé 'the best player in the world'
Quick summary
Diouf says Inter Milan were frustrated after their defeat to Real Madrid, while heaping praise on Kylian Mbappé, whom he labelled the best player in the world.
Full article
Attributed to original sourceInter midfielder Andy Diouf feels the Nerazzurri had ‘enough quality’ to beat Real Madrid and praises his compatriot Kylian Mbappé: ‘He’s the best player in the world.’
Cristian Chivu’s Inter suffered a 2-1 loss away at Real Madrid in the opening match of the 2026-27 Champions League.
READ MORE: Player Ratings: Real Madrid 2-1 Inter – Martinez and Jones errors, Lautaro leads the way The Nerazzurri went 2-0 down in the first half with Real Madrid making the most of evident mistakes from Nerazzurri players, especially Curtis Jones and Josep Martinez.
Diouf and Huijsen react to Real Madrid 2-1 Inter MADRID, SPAIN – SEPTEMBER 08: Vinicius Junior of Real Madrid is challenged by Andy Diouf of Internazionale during the UEFA Champions League 2026/27 League Phase MD1 match between Real Madrid C.F. and FC Internazionale Milano at Estadio Santiago Bernabeu on September 08, 2026 in Madrid, Spain. (Photo by Angel Martinez/Getty Images) Talking in the mixed zone at the Bernabeu last night, Inter midfielder Diouf said: “[There’s ] a lot of frustration. It’s normal because we play every game to win. We had the quality to do that today. And there was a lot of space. So it’s quite frustrating when we make mistakes, but that’s top-level football. You learn a lot from these kinds of games.”
Diouf’s compatriot Mbappé scored the opening goal last night.
“He is the best player in the world. We saw it today: they get one chance, and they score straight away; they’re clinical,” Diouf said.
MADRID, SPAIN – SEPTEMBER 08: Lautaro Martinez of Internazionale clashes with Dean Huijsen of Real Madrid during the UEFA Champions League 2026/27 League Phase MD1 match between Real Madrid C.F. and FC Internazionale Milano at Estadio Santiago Bernabeu on September 08, 2026 in Madrid, Spain. (Photo by Angel Martinez/Getty Images) “So, as I said, it’s in games like this that we have to learn so we don’t make the same mistakes again.”
Inter return to action next Monday, hosting Udinese at San Siro in the Serie A Round 4.
Real Madrid defender Dean Huijsen, a former Juventus player, also spoke to reporters after the match.
“We missed a lot of chances today, and that frustrates people,” he said.
“But having that level of expectation is good for us. We just have to keep working. But I think we’re doing well. And we keep going.”
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What happened
Following a defeat against Real Madrid, Inter Milan's camp expressed frustration at the result, with Diouf commenting on the outcome. Despite the disappointment, he reserved high praise for Kylian Mbappé, calling him the best player in the world. The comments highlight both the gap Inter felt they could not close against the Spanish side and the rising status of Mbappé in European football. The match appears to be part of a high-profile European fixture, with both clubs among the continent's elite.
Chance analysis
Defeats against the continent's elite tend to expose where mid-tier contenders like Inter still need to grow, and Diouf's frustration underscores that gap. His glowing assessment of Mbappé, meanwhile, is a reminder that Real Madrid's squad depth and individual brilliance remain the benchmark in European competition. For Inter, the next step is converting these hard lessons into performances against sides of similar calibre.
Inter's confidence takes a hit after a frustrating loss to Real Madrid, while Mbappé's reputation as a world-class performer is further cemented.