“I will give my life for this club”: In near-perfect Spanish, Kylian Mbappé enchanted nearly 80,000 Real Madrid fans on Tuesday during his official presentation at the Santiago Bernabeu stadium, during a grandiose ceremony.
“Wow… It’s incredible to be here. I dreamed for years of playing for Real Madrid and today my dream has come true. I’m a happy boy.”Mbappé told his supporters, in front of his parents, moved to tears, and Zinédine Zidane, who has never hidden the fact that he wanted to attract the French phenomenon to Real from a very young age.
“Twelve years ago, you invited to Valdebebas (the club’s training center, editor’s note) a young man who is today the protagonist of this moment, (…) a player who will help us continue winning, and who is fulfilling his life’s dream”said Merengue president Florentino Perez to “Zizou”.
“Kylian, you are here because you wanted to be, you overcame all obstacles to wear this white jersey, the one of the 15 European Cups. Welcome home, welcome to Real Madrid!”he added.
For his new “Galactic”the Spanish club rolled out not a red carpet but a blue carpet to welcome him like a rock star in its new garden, renovated and modernized to be able to attract concerts by the biggest international artists.
Cheered on by tens of thousands of Madrid supporters, some of whom had waited for several hours, the captain of the French team took his first steps on the pitch of the legendary stadium in an atmosphere close to a Champions League match, following in the footsteps of his idol Cristiano Ronaldo, who was also treated to a grandiose presentation ceremony 15 years ago.
The video broadcast on the giant screens also recalled the relationship between the Bondy native and the Portuguese, whose posters covered his childhood bedroom.
After undergoing his medical examination at the La Moraleja hospital, on the outskirts of Madrid, Mbappé finally signed his five-year contract with his president Florentino Pérez at the Madrid club’s training center, posing in front of replicas of the Champions League, his great unfulfilled dream in Paris.
Fans buy the new jersey of footballer Kylian Mbappé at the official Real Madrid store at the Santiago Bernabeu stadium in Madrid, on July 11, 2024 / Pierre-Philippe MARCOU / AFP
For Mbappé and Real, it is finally the realization of a transfer long hoped for, awaited and postponed.
Since last Thursday, the jersey bearing the French player’s number 9 has been selling like hot cakes in the club’s shops, where the face of « Kyks » spreads everywhere.
« Excitation » et “humility”
Having left Paris Saint-Germain on a free, Mbappé arrives in Spain after a disappointing Euro on an individual level (one goal from a penalty, one assist), notably as a result of his broken nose during the first match of the tournament which ended in the semi-final for the Blues, eliminated by Spain, who were on the road to their title on Sunday evening.
The player is also coming off a trying season with the Parisian club, marked by tensions surrounding the non-renewal of his contract – at the beginning of June, he said ” released “ et ” relieved “ after the officialization of his transfer to the Spanish capital.
In Madrid, he will form with Vinicius Jr and Jude Bellingham an attacking trio that already makes fans of the « Roi d’Europe » who won his 15th Champions League on June 1st.
The reigning Spanish champions, Real Madrid, will begin the championship in Mallorca, on the first day of La Liga played on the weekend of August 17 and 18. The possible debut at the Santiago Bernabeu stadium of the French superstar could take place the following week, on the occasion of the reception of one of the promoted teams, Real Valladolid (2nd day).
Real Madrid expect to recoup the cost of this transfer, which remains expensive (estimated salary of 15 million euros net per season and signing bonus of over 100 million) thanks to the various economic benefits brought by the French player (sponsorship contracts, shirt sales, ticketing, etc.).
Mbappé, for his part, hopes to finally win the Champions League and the Ballon d’Or, two objectives that he has always clearly displayed, just like that of ” Mark history “ of his sport.