Kylian Mbappé to Real Madrid: The Transfer and How It Has Played Out So Far
Kylian Mbappé’s rise to football stardom is a story of incredible talent and rapid success. At 14, he joined AS Monaco’s academy, and just two years later, he made his first-team debut, becoming the club’s youngest-ever player. His breakthrough came in the 2016-17 season when his pace, dribbling, and goal-scoring helped Monaco win an unexpected Ligue 1 title. Mbappé scored 26 goals, including six in the Champions League, guiding Monaco to the semifinals and catching the attention of Europe’s biggest clubs.
In 2017, at just 18, Mbappé moved to Paris Saint-Germain for €180 million, becoming the second-most expensive player in history. At PSG, he quickly became the team’s star, standing out even among players like Neymar and Lionel Messi. Over seven seasons, Mbappé won five Ligue 1 titles, scored 217 goals, and became the league’s top scorer for five consecutive seasons from 2019 to 2024. Though PSG never secured the Champions League, Mbappé’s performances on the European stage were consistently world-class.
On the international stage, Mbappé’s defining moment came in 2018 when he helped France win the World Cup. At 19, he scored four goals, including one in the final, becoming the first teenager since Pelé to score in a World Cup final. His remarkable speed and composure made him one of the tournament’s stars, solidifying his status as a global football sensation.
The Transfer
Real Madrid, one of the most iconic clubs in football history, has always set its sights on signing the world’s top talent. In 2017, after Kylian Mbappé’s sensational Ligue 1 triumph with AS Monaco, Real Madrid were eager to bring the young star to the Bernabéu. However, Paris Saint-Germain swooped in with an enormous bid, and Mbappé chose to stay in France. Despite this, Real Madrid never lost interest, viewing him as the ideal successor to Cristiano Ronaldo.
By 2021, with just a year left on his contract at PSG, Real Madrid made their move. The club submitted a significant bid to secure the World Cup winner, hoping to finally land their man. Yet PSG stood firm, rejecting Madrid’s advances, and Mbappé remained in Paris for another season.
When 2022 arrived and Mbappé’s contract expired, it seemed certain he would fulfill his dream of playing for Real Madrid. The entire football world anticipated the transfer, but in a surprising twist, Mbappé chose to renew his contract with PSG, committing his future to the French capital.
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After years of waiting, Real Madrid’s persistence paid off in the summer of 2024. Mbappé, now one of the game’s greatest players, finally made the long-expected move to Madrid on a free transfer, bringing an end to one of football’s most dramatic transfer sagas.
Start to the 2024-25 Season
Mbappé played his first match for Real in the UEFA Super Cup final against Atalanta. He scored his debut goal and helped Real Madrid win the game. This brought excitement and optimism to the club’s fanbase, but since then, they haven’t had the ideal start. Real Madrid are second in La Liga after two wins and two draws from four games. While it isn’t a bad start, the defending champions and the French captain will look to improve as the season progresses.
The Mbappé-Vinícius Puzzle
Fitting Mbappé and Vinícius Júnior on the same side seems to be one of the tactical challenges Carlo Ancelotti is facing. Both players have been the best in the left-wing position and target similar areas of the pitch. While Mbappé is more experienced and can play as a number 9, he looks more dangerous when deployed on the left flank. How could Don Carlo solve this?
As they get more time together, the attacking pair will only improve their chemistry and understanding. Even if Mbappé starts as the striker in a flexible system, he could shift to the right, allowing Vinícius to attack through the center and vice versa. This could be the way forward for the club. Another potential solution is playing one of them on the right, though this seems less likely.
Transfer Review
Despite recent results not going entirely in their favor, neither the club nor Mbappé will be overly concerned. Both understand that it’s only a matter of time before everything falls into place. Signing a player of Mbappé’s quality on a free transfer makes this one of the most outstanding transfers, and it could go down in history as one of the greatest if both the club and the player achieve great things together.
By: @TSpec1al
Featured Image: @GabFoligno / Franck Fife – AFP