The French sensation, Kylian Mbappe moved to Spanish giants, Real Madrid in July 2024 after a long-awaited transfer saga that had been speculated for almost 4 years. Mbappe, who was born on December 20, 1998, in Bondy, a suburb of Paris, began his football career at a very early age at Bondy, his hometown club, before moving to AS Monaco, where he made his professional debut at the age of 16.
Kylian Mbappe rose to stardom and caught the world’s attention during Monaco’s remarkable 2016-2017 season. His incredible finishing, electrifying pace, and the maturity of play he exhibited belied his age at the time and propelled Monaco to win Ligue 1. They also had a wonderful run in the UEFA Champions League, reaching the semi-finals.
As a result of his sterling exploits at Monaco, Europe’s biggest clubs came calling for the prodigious talent. In 2017, Mbappe secured a high-profile transfer to Paris Saint-Germain (PSG), marking a huge step in his career. He didn’t disappoint, as he helped PSG win six Ligue 1 titles, three French Cups, three French League Cups, and three French Super Cups.
In addition, he helped PSG to their first-ever UEFA Champions League final, where they unfortunately lost to Bayern Munich in the 2019/2020 season. On top of these team achievements, Mbappe has earned individual accolades such as the Ligue 1 Player of the Year, Golden Boot, and other notable prizes.
In addition to his achievements at the club level, Mbappe has played an integral part in France’s national team ever since making his debut in March 2017. His impact was most notably felt during the 2018 FIFA World Cup in Russia, where he played an indispensable role in France’s triumph—becoming only the second teenager after Pelé to score in a World Cup final. He also won the World Cup’s Young Player award.
After France’s 2018 World Cup triumph, Mbappe’s role and significance rose immensely, making him the national team’s skipper. He further helped the national team reach the final of the World Cup in Qatar 2022, once again trying to break the curse of a nation unable to defend the trophy, but they unfortunately lost to La Albiceleste of Argentina.
Despite the loss, Mbappe made his mark on the tournament by winning the Golden Boot and making the final one of the most thrilling games the world has ever witnessed. This performance earned him a place in the conversation for the Ballon d’Or and FIFA Best awards multiple times, all before turning 23. It is clear that Kylian Mbappe has firmly established himself in the world of football. He eventually fulfilled his dream of joining the Los Blancos, the team he’d dreamed of playing for since childhood, and it was evident he would wear the white jersey at some point in his football career.
Now that Kylian has fulfilled his dream move, what are the stakes for him? Is he going to be the leader and be seen as the Messianic icon with all the sway and control he enjoyed at PSG? Only time will tell. Nevertheless, Real Madrid is more than a football club; it is an institution with a rich history and culture, and its wonderful success in Europe is empirically evident in their dominance in the UEFA Champions League and their domestic league titles.
Led by Carlo Ancelotti, Real Madrid once again enjoyed success in the just-ended 2022-2023 season after winning the UEFA Champions League and La Liga. Ancelotti molds his team in a 4-4-2 diamond formation and sometimes alternates to a 4-2-3-1 or 4-3-3 depending on the opponent they are playing against and playing resources available to him. The mobility of forwards like Vinicius Jnr, Rodrygo and Bellingham has led to Ancelotti’s formation being unpredictable, which was evident in how teams struggled to play against them in their trophy laden season.
A new season has just began and for the first time in 10 years, Real Madrid are without the dynamic midfielder, Toni Kroos. They are indeed going to miss a controller and conductor in the middle, but thanks to the versatility of Bellingham, who can considerably slot into that role, there is more room for Mbappe upfront. With the qualities he possesses, he is certainly going to start for Madrid, which means Los Blancos’ firepower upfront has been immensely upgraded. This means that Ancelotti, will likely adjust his formation to suit Mbappe. The forwards are still mobile and their movement can cause damage to any opponent regardless of the formation they play.
Mbappe will need to play above himself and meet expectations, especially considering the history of the club and the performances of Vinicius and Bellingham, who are tipped by many to win the 2024 Ballon d’Or. These factors send a signal to the French star that he needs to work his way to the top before being accepted as one of the greats for the white angels. However, if he can replicate the same performance he gave at PSG with Real Madrid, then he is likely to be written into the history books of Madrid and even increase his chances of winning the Ballon d’Or award he has been dreaming of.
Written By Aaron Nai