Mbappe makes dream Real start

FE Team | Published: August 15, 2024 22:31:02

WARSAW, Aug 15 (Reuters): Kylian Mbappe could not have anticipated a better start to his Real Madrid career as he scored a debut goal to help his new team win the European Super Cup on Wednesday.
Mbappe fired the ball into the top corner from Jude Bellingham's pass to double Real's lead in a 2-0 victory over Atalanta.
"Before the game, we didn't even talk about (whether he would score), we just expected it to happen," man-of-the match Bellingham told reporters.
"It's a kind of player who writes his own history... Time and time again, he delivers for his team and he did it again tonight."
Mbappe, who scored 44 goals for Paris St Germain last season, clinched his first European trophy after winning seven Ligue 1 titles with PSG and Monaco.
He previously came closest to European glory in 2019-20, when PSG finished Champions
League runners-up after losing the final 1-0 to Bayern Munich.
"Mbappe did really well, he adapted really well to the team" Real coach Carlo Ancelotti said.
"He combined well with Vinicius Junior and with Bellingham. Of course, we have a lot of quality, but we have to play together and we did that tonight."
After joyfully posing with his first continental silverware, Mbappe appeared overwhelmed by emotion.
"It was a great night. It's a great moment for me. And we won a title, which is important - at Madrid you always have to win," he said.
"I am very happy. And with the goal too - it is important for a striker like me. But the most important thing has been to have the pleasure of playing with this team."
Mbappe also helped Ancelotti become the coach who has brought the most major trophies to Real Madrid, the Italian levelling the tally of 14 by Miguel Munoz who managed the Spanish giants from 1948-58. Madrid broke the deadlock before the hour mark through Valverde, tapping home from close range while Atalanta's defence worried about Mbappe, who was moving with more freedom.
Bellingham, increasingly influential, fed Vinicius, who cut the ball across goal for the Uruguayan midfielder to tap home.
Valverde, wearing the number eight shirt vacated by Toni Kroos who retired this summer, said he was "tremendously proud".
"It's motivating to inherit the number of a player I admire a lot, I dedicate the goal to him and to my wife," said Valverde.
Vinicius should have doubled Madrid's lead when sent through on goal but Musso tipped over his effort.
Swedish defender Hien blocked from Bellingham as Madrid sought a second and then Musso thwarted the former Borussia Dortmund man.