80 Thousand Eyes for Mbappe: Kylian Officially Joins Real Madrid
The long-standing "soap opera" regarding the Frenchman's move to Madrid has finally ended.
After the conclusion of EURO 2024 and the Copa America, the celebrations of these sporting events seemed to fade in the shadow of Kylian Mbappe's grand presentation at Santiago Bernabéu in Madrid. Yes, one of the longest football soap operas in European club history has ended de jure and de facto.
Many club fans remained skeptical about this transfer until the former PSG attacking leader stepped onto the field in Real's jersey. However, Mbappe is now with the royal club. 80,000 spectators gathered to witness the global football wonder.
Mbappe kissed the new club's emblem and declared that his lifelong dream had come true, which drove the local Real fans into ecstasy.
"I embraced it when I was a child. I always knew my destiny was to play for this club. I'm thrilled that my dream has come true. I arrived here with ambition and a desire to win. My initial goal is to adapt to the new team quickly. I always believed I would play here despite numerous offers from other clubs. Now I'll play for the club of my dreams," Mbappe said at the presentation.
Spanish fans who support "Los Blancos" didn't care about how the Frenchman performed for his national team at the EURO, what might be wrong with him, or how he explained everything. They had been waiting for this transfer for over five years. Since Zinedine Zidane's arrival, no French footballer had come with such pomp and circumstance. Incidentally, Zizou himself was present at the ceremony.
The only one who garnered similar attention was Cristiano Ronaldo. Still, these figures are comparable, and they both excited the crowd similarly. The French superstar counted, "Uno, dos, tres. Hala Madrid!" Just as the Portuguese did when he joined Manchester United to Real in 2009.
"My chant is a tribute to Cristiano, my childhood idol. Now he is a friend who gives me advice. It's a privilege. We are in touch," Mbappe said at his presentation as a Real player.
Mbappe even raised his hands in the same manner as Ronaldo, both sporting the number nine on their backs, despite being associated with "10" and "7" respectively throughout their brilliant careers. Real has its quirks. For them, these tens are not very sacred. Even the legendary "10" is more a tribute to tradition than a necessity. Few adhere to these formalities nowadays.
"Who said I wanted the number 10? It belongs to Modric, a Ballon d'Or winner. I'm glad to play with him on the same team. The number doesn't matter. 'Ten' is an important figure for Real, but not for me," Mbappe shared at the presentation.
After the presentation, Real fans will experience euphoria, which should last until Mbappe's first touches of the ball. If he immediately dazzles, they will carry him even higher. Still, there have been instances when such great love quickly turned into discontent. Mbappe needs to start off strong, or he will have to do much explaining later. The crowd can be fickle, with only a step between love and hate.
Published by Patrick Jane
17.07.2024
https://www.youtube.com/live/8DfEJInNjY0?si=blJ_11I-75YIxOF6