Kylian Mbappe’s Real Madrid debut initially wasn’t one to remember. But the newest Bernabeu superstar’s record already stands at one game, one goal, one trophy, following Wednesday night’s victory over Atalanta in the UEFA Super Cup – European football’s annual curtain-raiser.
Hype and expectation of Mbappe’s first game in Madrid’s all-white kit has been building for months, basically ever since it became known he would be leaving Paris Saint-Germain at the end of June. In truth, probably longer, given how he always seemed destined to play for the club someday.
It was actually quite unfair to expect a lot from Madrid’s new No.9 straight off the bat. The game in Warsaw’s National Stadium against a well-drilled Atalanta prepared to make a game of it was his first football since France were beaten by Spain in their Euro 2024 semi-final back on 9 July.
Mbappe, who suffered a broken nose in his first game at that tournament and narrowly avoided surgery, was given time off to rest and recuperate. It meant he missed all of pre-season with his new teammates – he, and indeed everyone else, was lacking sharpness as kick-off came in Poland.
It was an inauspicious start. With a quarter of the contest gone, Mbappe’s had been the only shot of the game – which was blocked – but he’d also one had just eight touches of the ball in 23 minutes.
Thankfully for those watching, both teams seemed to find a bit more rhythm towards the end of the first half – when Madrid struck the crossbar through Rodrygo – and into the second period. They each threatened to take the lead until Federico Valverde broke the deadlock just shy of an hour in.
Vinicius Junior deserved the plaudits for making that goal possible and the Brazilian, back on the wing in a 4-3-3 after spending last season up front in a two-striker system, continued to turn the screw. Jude Bellingham was also increasingly involved, but Mbappe was still fairly quiet, until…
In the 68th minute, Mbappe opened his Madrid account. The Frenchman finished it off, but it was a goal that tantalisingly involved Rodrygo, Vinicius and Bellingham to give an indication of just how the front four will work together this season and beyond. Rodrygo pinched the ball deep in Atalanta territory, feeding Vinicius in the inside right channel. His cross evaded Mbappe in the middle, but Bellingham was there at the far post to keep things alive. He bided his time to pick the right pass, with Mbappe making sure to move to find the space and burying the finish when the ball arrived.
Cue the trademark arms folded celebration. Behind him, Vinicius rushed over and copied it, so did Rodrygo. It was the clearest way they could show how much he is already part of the family.
Madrid’s two-goal lead knocked the remaining stuffing out of Atalanta and, cruising towards a record-breaking sixth UEFA Super Cup triumph for the club with only a few minutes left, Carlo Ancelotti opted to withdraw Mbappe after a job as well done as could be in the circumstances.
He wasn’t at his brilliant best overall, justifiably so, yet there were flashes out what he can do, and what he will be able to do with the other superstars around him.
It was all Madrid fans really needed to see this time around, but the potential for what this team could now achieve with Mbappe in it is absolutely frightening.