Real Madrid presented Kylian Mbappe to a packed out Santiago Bernabeu onTuesday morning, with a rumoured 85,000 fans turning out to see him. The 25-year-old signed a five-year deal at the club, and is due to return towards the end of the month to begin training with his new side.
Speaking after the presentation, Mbappe was placed in front of the media.
“It is an honour and privilege to be a Real Madrid player. It is historic for me and my family. Better than I expected.”
“I feel privileged. I am a Madrid player, it is my childhood dream. You don’t pay for a dream. It is a great satisfaction for me and my family. Everything I did to get here, it took going through many different many stages.”
The French forward has reportedly had an agreement settled since February, but he was asked when exactly he decided to join the club.
“The exact moment… since I was a child. It was easy. It was a dream. Then a goal. My destiny was to play for Real Madrid.”
Mbappe again dodged the question when he was asked why he turned Los Blancos down in 2022.
“A lot of things can happen in football. The past is in the past. What I can say is that I am very happy to be here.”
One of the otrher aspects of his rejection of Real Madrid two years ago was the backlash – between fans burning shirts and President Florentino Perez declaring that it was ‘not his Kylian’ that took the choice. Mbappe was questioned on whether he saw much of that criticism.
“It’s part of football. The truth is that the love of all Real Madrid fans is incredible. I haven’t played a game and they give me all this love. That’s why I want to give my life for this shirt. It’s my dream but there are many people who have been with me from day one.”
Mbappe’s next appearance for Real Madrid is uncertain, with the 25-year-old now set to go on holidays after finishing Euro 2024 with France. Real Madrid will leave for the USA on their preseason tour in late July, and he said he would leave it up to the club whether they wanted him there.
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