A record crowd of 80,000 fans packed into the Estadio Santiago Bernabeu to witness Kylian Mbappe’s grand unveiling, matching the attendance for Cristiano Ronaldo’s presentation in 2009. Addressing the crowd, Mbappe echoed Ronaldo’s iconic words: “I want to do one thing with you. As a big family, we are going to say: One, two, three… ‘Hala Madrid!’.”
The atmosphere was electric, a culmination of a long, sometimes tumultuous saga between Madrid and Mbappe’s camp. By 10 a.m. on Tuesday, the area surrounding the stadium was teeming with excited fans. Street vendors sold Mbappe scarves and the official store ran out of Mbappe shirts. Lottery sellers offered tickets labeled with the date as souvenirs. Despite being just a presentation, the atmosphere felt like a La Liga match, prompting stadium officials to open the gates early to manage the crowds.
Among the attendees were numerous children, free from school obligations, including a group of 316 kids from France brought by Mbappe’s foundation. They wore T-shirts featuring a young Mbappe. Earlier that day, the French forward underwent medical tests at Clinica Hospital Sanitas de La Moraleja, accompanied by Alejandro Mori, Madrid’s team manager. Mbappe then visited Valdebebas to meet head coach Carlo Ancelotti and other team members before heading to Ciudad Deportiva to sign his contract with President Florentino Perez.
Notable figures from Madrid’s history, including legendary defender Jose Emilio Santamaria, director of football Santiago Solari, and current coaching staff like Raul Gonzalez and Alvaro Arbeloa, gathered at the Bernabeu. The event saw a surprise appearance from Zinedine Zidane, who received a standing ovation.
The club celebrated by playing videos on the stadium’s new video scoreboards and a giant screen. This was the first presentation at the Bernabeu since the pandemic and the stadium’s renovation, fulfilling Perez’s wish for a grand event.
The crowd watched a montage of Madrid’s Champions League triumphs and highlights from Mbappe’s career, including a rare clip of Zidane coaching a young Mbappe. During his speech, Mbappe expressed his long-held dream of joining Real Madrid: “I have slept for many years with the dream of playing for Real Madrid and today it comes true.”
Fans chanted for Mbappe to kiss the club crest, which he did repeatedly as he circled the pitch, tossing footballs to the crowd. The event concluded with Mbappe passing through a corridor formed by children from his foundation.
Following the ceremony, Mbappe held a press conference accompanied by his family and advisors. He expressed his unwavering desire to join Real Madrid, despite other offers. “If I left Paris, I was going to Real Madrid,” he stated. The press conference, attended by over 400 journalists, extended beyond an hour as Mbappe entertained questions, predominantly in Spanish.
Reflecting on his journey, Mbappe acknowledged the influence of his teammates and idol Cristiano Ronaldo, with whom he shares a close relationship. “It’s a nod to Cristiano, my idol as a kid,” he said, referring to his presentation speech. “Now I’m lucky that he’s my friend, he gives me a lot of advice.”
Looking ahead, Mbappe is expected to skip Madrid’s pre-season tour in the United States, taking a break before making his debut a week prior to the UEFA Super Cup.