Not performing so well at EURO 2024 Germany, Kylian Mbappe did not want to be mourned too late. On July 16, 2024, or the day after the European Cup Final, he was officially introduced to Los Blancos fans, Real Madrid.
The Santiago Bernabeu was packed with a total of 82,000 supporters and many did not even get a seat. Wearing the number 9 jersey, Mbappe then entered the field through the player’s tunnel, and waved his hand. His wide smile immediately spread.
Like in 2009, when Cristiano Ronaldo was introduced as a new member of the Galacticos. Now Mbappe, who really idolizes his “senior”, is creating a moment of deja vu throughout the city of Madrid.
Will this be a signal that Los Blancos have found a figure similar to Cristiano Ronaldo with the target of a series of UCL titles? Mbappe under Carlo Ancelotti still has to prove it.
But one thing is for sure, Kylian Mbappe has realized one of his dreams since childhood. The room he occupied when he was a teenager, clearly displayed Real Madrid players, especially CR7. Mbappe is a true Madridista!
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Hello, welcome Kylian Mbappe! Your dream has now come true!
Coming as a secret guest star at Mbappe’s introduction procession, Zinedine Zidane, who has presented a total of four trophies (1 as a player and 3 as a coach), complemented his junior’s joy.
Both from France, both have presented a World Cup trophy, and now both have strengthened Los Blancos, Mbappe continues the French “lineage” in the capital city team’s camp.
In his speech, the 25-year-old player said that he was not much different from all the children present at the Bernabeu and had a dream of one day becoming a Real Madrid player. He did not forget to explain that the process of moving to Madrid was not as easy as it seemed.
“I have dreamed of playing for Real Madrid for years. And today, that dream has come true, I am a happy young man.”
“I would like to thank President Florentino Perez, who welcomed me warmly from the first day. There have been many twists and turns but here I am. I would also like to thank everyone who has worked to make me here.”
“This is an extraordinary day for me. Since I was little, I only had one dream, which was to be here. This means a lot to me. To all the children present here, know that I was like you, I had dreams, and I made them come true. With strong determination, you can make anything you want come true.” he said as quoted by bola.com.
Coming to Madrid with free transfer status, in fact Kylian Mbappe took a beneficial step for his personal pocket. PSG did not receive a penny because Mbappe’s contract officially ended at the end of June 2024.
Meanwhile, Los Blancos must provide a “dowry” to Mbappe and his agent of 100 million EURO which will be paid in installments over the course of his contract for the next five years.
There is much speculation that Mbappe is “money-grubbing” because he is pursuing this personal dowry, but he implicitly said that leaving PSG is not as easy as many people think.
Mbappe’s Synergy in the Real Madrid Team
A new chapter has been opened. Now the captain of the French National Team must start a busy pre-season with Real Madrid under the leadership of Don Carlo. He may only be late to meet Jude Bellingham and Dani Carvajal who will definitely be given extra leave after the EURO 2024 Final.
However, together with the other players, he must immediately find his synergy in the pre-season. The first match that allows him to be seen in a Madrid uniform is a friendly match against AC Milan, July 31, 2024 in the United States.
If Los Blancos are already in a full squad, the biggest possibility for Kylian Mbappe is to play the main striker role. He will be flanked by Vinicius Jr and Rodrygo, while Federico Valverde, Aurelin Tchouameni and Jude Bellingham will be the central midfielders.
It will be very interesting later, how Don Carlo will mix the team without a natural striker. However, just like last season which only paired Vinicius Jr and Rodrygo Goes up front, it seems that Los Blancos will have no trouble finding their rhythm immediately with a player of Mbappe’s caliber.
Non-technically, the presence of other French players such as Ferland Mendy, Eduardo Camavinga and Tchouameni will greatly help Mbappe’s adaptation to blend into the squad.
Behind the scenes there are Zidane and Cristiano Ronaldo who support, of course it will not be difficult for Mbappe to immediately score spectacular goals this season.
The threat that Mbappe might feel is of course his ego, which on several occasions looks quite big. We have not forgotten how he fought for penalties with Edinson Cavani, Neymar and Lionel Messi at PSG. Early last season, he also arrived late at PSG’s pre-season, because he was disappointed that he failed to move to Madrid.
However, at his new club, he must position himself differently compared to the French National Team or PSG.
There are still Luka Modric, Dani Carvajal, Thibaut Courtois and even Antonio Rudiger who are the core relations of the players in the team. There is also the South American block consisting of Vini, Rodrygo, Valverde and Eder Militao.
All have proven to be a solid team in recent years, especially last season which ended with the marriage of the Super Copa, La Liga and UEFA Champions League titles.
Mbappe’s hunger, who is still curious about the Champions League trophy, should be the basis of motivation that can be brought to the team next season.
Kylian Mbappe now also has to wait for the baton number “10” which is still owned by Luka Modric until next season. Predicted to retire just like Toni Kroos at the end of last season, it turns out that Modric said he could not let go of his career on the green field.
The veteran maestro from Croatia will certainly be the owner of the number “Captain Tsubasa” whenever he strengthens Los Blancos. Winning four La Liga titles and six UCL titles, Luka Modric certainly understands the connotation of a living legend of Real Madrid.
So, will Kylian Mbappe be able to prove his ability and synergize with his childhood dream club? Or will he even appear down like Eden Hazard? Let’s just wait for next season, when Barcelona, Atletico Madrid and several other big European clubs have also improved.
ASL
