80,000 fans receive Mbappe at Bernabeu

80,000 fans receive Mbappe at Bernabeu

… As French star finally becomes Real Madrid player

Kylian Mbappé has been paraded as a Real Madrid player before thousands of fans at a packed Santiago Bernabeu Stadium.

Mbappé has finally put on a Real Madrid jersey, fulfilling his childhood dream in front of a packed Santiago Bernabeu Stadium.

Nearly 80,000 fans were in hand at the Bernabeu on Tuesday to welcome the 25-year-old France star during his official presentation as the club's newest player.

After signing his five-year contract with the Spanish powerhouse alongside club president Florentino Pérez, Mbappé entered the stage set up at the Bernabeu to loud cheers by the Madrid fans.

Wearing the No.9 jersey, Mbappé smiled broadly and waved to the fans who chanted his name, then embraced Pérez and former Madrid player and coach Zinedine Zidane, who invited Mbappé to visit the Spanish club for the first time when he was just a teenager.

"It's an incredible day for me," Mbappé told the crowd, in Spanish. "Since being a kid I dreamed about playing for Madrid and today I'm here. It means a lot to me."

Mbappé's relatives, club officials and several former players were by the stage at the Bernabeu, which had its roof closed for the midday ceremony in the Spanish capital. Kids linked to Mbappé's foundation were also on hand.

The record-15 European Cups won by Madrid were also on display on the stage where Mbappé was introduced.

The message "Welcome, Mbappé" was shown on the large video boards at the newly revamped Bernabeu.

Some of the club's most iconic moments were also shown while the song "Nessun Dorma" was played on the loudspeakers. Images of Mbappe's career were also displayed, as well as photos including Mbappé wearing Madrid's uniform as a kid and posing alongside former club star Cristiano Ronaldo.

Pérez called Mbappé's presentation a "historic act" for the club.

"Today we welcome an exceptional player who today is fulfilling his childhood dream," Pérez said. "Today you are here because it's something that you wanted. Thank you for making a great effort to be able to wear this white jersey."

Mbappé's presentation came after he played at the 2024 European Championship, where France lost to eventual champion Spain in the semifinals.

After years trying to sign the young player, Madrid finally reached a deal with him in June when he opted not to stay with Paris Saint-Germain and became a free agent.

Mbappé had played club soccer only for French teams - first at Monaco before joining PSG and staying there for the past seven seasons.

… Becomes club’s highest earner above Alaba, Modric, Vini Jnr, Bellingham

In a historic moment for Real Madrid, Kylian Mbappe was finally unveiled at the Santiago Bernabeu, marking the culmination of a long-standing pursuit by the Spanish giants.

Mbappe has signed a five-year contract with Real Madrid until 2029 but with a significantly smaller salary than what he earned at PSG.

Indeed, as per L’Equipe (h/t SPORT), his salary will be well below the €72 million gross he received this past season at the Parisian club.

Despite not having to pay PSG a transfer fee, the agreement entails large financial obligations from the club.

The 2018 World Cup winner will earn a signing bonus of €150 million over the five years of his contract.

On top of that, Mbappe is all set to become the highest-paid player at Real Madrid.

His gross salary of €26 million will be more than David Alaba’s (€22.5 million) and Luka Modric’s previous salary (€21.9 million) before his contract expired in June.

To put things into perspective, two of Madrid’s best players and Ballon d’Or frontrunners, Vinicius Jr. and Jude Bellingham, currently earn a base wage of €20.8 million each year.

Moreover, Mbappe will retain 80% of his image rights, with Real Madrid holding the remaining 20%. This agreement comes after the club initially aimed to secure between 40% and 50% of his image rights.

All things considered, Mbappe’s acquisition is not coming cheap, but his immense pedigree suggests he will be worth every penny.