Real Madrid's forward Endrick (from left), Brahim Diaz and Kylian Mbappe celebrate with the trophy after the UEFA Super Cup football match between Real Madrid and Atalanta BC in Warsaw. Rea, Madrid won 2-0 on Aug.14, 2024.WOJTEK RADWANSKI/Getty Images
A goal and a trophy. How about that for a debut by Kylian Mbappé for Real Madrid?
The France captain pulled on the famous white jersey of the Spanish champions for the first time in a competitive match and marked the occasion with the second goal in a 2-0 win over Atalanta in the UEFA Super Cup on Wednesday.
Mbappé, who started and played 82 minutes at the National Stadium in Warsaw, met a pass from Jude Bellingham across the area with a shot into the top corner in the 68th minute.
“He is inevitable,” Bellingham said of Mbappé.
“It’s a big step for him – people have been talking about him coming here for a long time – and it feels like he’s been here for a while.”
After putting both arms across his chest for his trademark celebration, Mbappé was congratulated by Vinícius Júnior and Rodrygo, the other members of Madrid’s star-studded strike force that might be sending tremors around European soccer heading into the new season.
Federico Valverde tapped home a cross from Vinicius in the 59th to set Madrid on its way to a record sixth victory in the Super Cup, the annual match between the Champions League winners (Madrid) and the Europa League champions (Atalanta).
Madrid is used to holding records – no team has more European Cup titles than its 15 – and owning the world’s best players.
Mbappé certainly belongs in that category and it was a strong start to life at the world’s top soccer club, one he dreamt of playing for as a kid before fulfilling that reality by moving from Paris Saint-Germain after a drawn-out saga.
Now he is Madrid’s No. 9 and started the Super Cup as the team’s central striker – to limited success, aside from a couple of spins and tricks that wowed the crowd in the first half – before moving out wide for the second half to greater effect.
“We have a new-look team and it seemed to just click tonight,” Bellingham said. “Sometimes it takes a bit of time – the first half we were still adjusting – and the second half it all came together and we were brilliant.”