Kylian Mbappé Joins Real Madrid: A Dream Fulfilled

Posted on July 18, 2024 by SoccerPunter

On Tuesday, Kylian Mbappé was officially presented as a Real Madrid player at the Santiago Bernabéu Stadium. The event, attended by tens of thousands of enthusiastic fans, marked the beginning of a new chapter for the LaLiga champions. Mbappé, at 25, signed a five-year contract with the club after leaving Paris Saint-Germain on a free transfer.

The day began with Mbappé undergoing a medical examination in Madrid, followed by a visit to the Valdebebas training ground to finalize his new deal. Later, he arrived at the Bernabéu, where fans had been queuing for hours to witness the presentation. Speaking in flawless Spanish, Mbappé expressed his excitement, saying, “Wow. It’s incredible to be here. I dreamt for many years about playing for Real Madrid, and today that dream comes true.”

Mbappé revealed that he had been learning Spanish in preparation for his move, showing his commitment to his new club. “I wasn’t the best at school, but in Spanish I gave 100% — I had the dream of playing for Real Madrid,” he admitted during the news conference.

Real Madrid announced last month that they had secured Mbappé’s services, finally concluding their long pursuit of the French star, after near misses in 2017 and 2022. “I want to thank the president [Florentino Pérez] first,” Mbappé said. “He believed in me from the first day. A lot of things happened, but I want to say thank you. I want to thank everyone who has worked for me to come here. I know it was hard but now I’m here, I’m a Real Madrid player.”

Mbappé also expressed his lifelong dream of playing for Real Madrid, stating, “Since I was a kid I had one dream, to play here. Being here means a lot to me … Now I want to achieve another dream, being at the level of this club, the best in the world. I can say one thing: I’ll give everything for this club and this badge.”

Despite the 85,000-capacity Bernabéu being expected to be full for the presentation, some seats remained empty. Mbappé and Pérez were joined on stage by Madrid’s honorary president, Pirri, and club legend Zinedine Zidane, who had invited Mbappé for a trial at Madrid in 2012.

“Congratulations for having achieved a dream,” Pérez said. “I know how excited your family is. You fell in love with Real Madrid as a boy. You were here in this stadium aged 13. I know you’ll never forget that day in December 2012, when Zidane invited you to Real Madrid City.

“Your love for Real Madrid, identifying with this badge, has given you the strength to overcome every obstacle to be here as a new Real Madrid player. Today you’re here because you wanted to be. Your will has overcome all adversity. Thank you for making an effort to wear this shirt.”

Mbappé reminisced about his first Madrid memories, describing his visit to Real Madrid City at Zidane’s request in 2009 as “crazy.”

Earlier in the day, Mbappé arrived at the Sanitas clinic in La Moraleja for his medical, which included an examination of a broken nose he suffered during France’s opening game at Euro 2024. Addressing the injury, Mbappé expressed his desire to play in the UEFA Super Cup on August 14. “We spoke this morning with the medical team, we’ll do things together, and we’ll see what we do,” he said. “I hope I’ll play the Super Cup but it depends on the boss, I have to be ready to help the team.”

Regarding his participation in the upcoming preseason tour in the United States, Mbappé stated, “The U.S. tour, we’ll see with the boss and the club. If the club want me to go I’ll go, if not I won’t. We’ll see what the club wants.”

As Real Madrid prepares for their preseason, including matches against AC Milan, Barcelona, and Chelsea, fans eagerly anticipate Mbappé’s contributions to the team. With his dedication and passion, Mbappé is poised to make a significant impact at the Bernabéu, fulfilling his dream of playing for one of the world’s most prestigious football clubs.