Kylian Mbappe to Real Madrid was not just one of the most high-profile transfers in 2024, but arguably in football history. Mbappe was a childhood fan of Real Madrid and also idolised club legend Cristiano Ronaldo. He also continued performing at the highest level at PSG, and for many this transfer was destined to happen and was a matter of when and not if. Ultimately the dream move for Mbappe finally got sealed, but did it come at a massive cost to the long-term success of Real Madrid? Let's find out.
Real Madrid before Kylian Mbappe
Carlo Ancelotti's second coming at Real Madrid began on a historic note, as Karim Benzema transformed himself into the best footballer in the world at the time and Vinicius Jr also began to fulfill his immense potential for Los Blancos. Together, both of them along with the help of midfielders Toni Kroos and Luka Modric all combined together to help Real Madrid achieve yet another historic Champions League title and also another La Liga triumph.
The eventual exit of Karim Benzema was a big blow for Ancelotti and Real Madrid, but as one star left, another came. Real Madrid went on to sign Jude Bellingham from Borussia Dortmund for a record-breaking fee. Despite this, Ancelotti was still adamant on getting another star striker for Real Madrid, and reportedly had Harry Kane as a replacement in his mind. However, Real Madrid president Florentino Perez was reportedly against it.
Left with no other choice, Ancelotti went on to experience Jude Bellingham as a false 9, with Vinicius Jr and his Brazilian compatriot Rodrygo pairing up as opposite wingers to form a unique attacking trio. The result was nothing less than sensational, as it brought out the world-class attacking potential of Bellingham and also resulted in a flexible and fluid Real Madrid side that went on to win yet another Champions League and La Liga title. Real Madrid seemed like they were on top of the world, and on course for years of dominance.
Despite having a team that looked like the perfect deal, Florentino Perez went on to sign Kylian Mbappe on a free transfer after his contract with PSG expired. Many felt it to be an unnecessary attacking addition to the team, especially with Toni Kroos announcing his retirement at the time and the team needing a replacement for him.
Fitting Mbappe into the Madrid side meant Ancelotti had to completely break up and reconstruct the team that conquered Europe. Jude Bellingham was slotted into central midfield and Mbappe began to operate as a striker with Vinicius and Rodrygo on the wings. However, the new side was completely imbalanced, poor in link up okay, and one that had minimal contribution from its words. This was followed by poor results and Barcelona rising in form under Hansi Flick. To make matters worse, Jude Bellingham lost his attacking spark, Vinicius Jr was a shadow of the Ballon d'Or contender player he was, and Rodrygo looked like a player lost in confidence. Ironically, Mbappe was performing exceptionally from an individual perspective, however Real Madrid the team suffered as a whole. Ultimately, Carlo Ancelotti failed to find a tactical solution and continuous poor results eventually led to his sacking.
Xabi Alonso's dilemma at Real Madrid
Xabi Alonso replaced Carlo Ancelotti as the new manager of Real Madrid, and he has so far preferred to play Kylian Mbappe and Vinicius Jr together in attack. This has led to Rodrygo being completely frozen out of the team, and yet another victim of the Mbappe signing. As things stand, Mbappe and Vinicius are still struggling to link-up efficiently and become a devastating duo. If Alonso is unable to find a permanent solution like Ancelotti, he might face similar consequences to Ancelotti, and there's even the possibility that Vinicius Jr might be sold by Real Madrid to accommodate Mbappe in his preferred winger position.
Kylian Mbappe to Real Madrid has come with lots of commercial benefits, and it eventually could turn out to be a massive success on the field as well. As things stand though, it could be looked back at as a move that destroyed the very soul of a team that should've gone on to achieve legendary feats.
Kylian Mbappe FAQ's
1. What are Kylian Mbappé stats?
Kylian Mbappé has played a total of 442 games and scored 334 games
2. What is Kylian Mbappé's age?
Kylian Mbappé is currently age 26
3. What are Kylian Mbappé's dates joined?
The following is the timeline of clubs joined by Kylian Mbappé:
2015–2016 Monaco II
2015–2018 Monaco
2017–2018 Paris Saint-Germain (loan)
2018–2024 Paris Saint-Germain
2024– Real Madrid
4. Who is Ethan Mbappé?
Ethan Mbappé is the younger brother of Kylian Mbappé, who is currently 18 years old and plays for LOSC Lille.
