Real Madrid Set to Unveil Kylian Mbappe in Historic Ceremony at Santiago Bernabeu
News Mania Desk/Agnibeena Ghosh/16th July 2024
Kylian Mbappe is set to be officially presented as a Real Madrid player on Tuesday at the iconic Santiago Bernabeu stadium, where an anticipated crowd of 85,000 fans will witness the historic event. This turnout is expected to surpass the previous record set by Cristiano Ronaldo 15 years ago.
Although the tickets for the event were free, they were quickly claimed, with some fans reportedly attempting to resell them, capitalizing on the excitement surrounding the arrival of one of the world’s best strikers.
Mbappe will start his day by signing a five-season contract with Real Madrid president Florentino Perez. He will then make his first appearance in the stadium at midday (10:00 GMT; 15:30 IST) to greet the fans, followed by a press conference.
While his new teammates began training on Monday, Mbappe, who recently captained France in the Euros, will have a few more days off before starting his season in Madrid. Club medics are expected to examine his nose, which was broken during France’s 1-0 win over Austria on June 18 during the group stage. France was later knocked out in the semi-finals by Spain.
This signing marks the culmination of a long-anticipated move for the 25-year-old Mbappe, a self-professed fan of Los Blancos and Ronaldo. He will don the number 9 shirt, which has already been made available in Real Madrid’s stores adorned with his image.
At Real Madrid, Mbappe will join a new offensive trio alongside England midfielder Jude Bellingham and Brazilian attacker Vinicius Junior under the guidance of Italian coach Carlo Ancelotti. This new lineup has already generated excitement among fans, especially following the club’s recent 15th Champions League title win in June.
As the current titleholders of Spain’s La Liga, Real Madrid will begin their campaign with a match against Real Mallorca on the weekend of August 17-18. However, Mbappe’s debut might be postponed until the following week when Real Madrid faces Real Valladolid, a team recently promoted from the second division.
To offset the significant costs associated with Mbappe’s signing— which includes a 15-million-euro annual salary and a signing bonus exceeding 100 million euros— the club plans to leverage sponsorship deals, ticket sales, and merchandise revenue.
Mbappe is hopeful that his move to Real Madrid will help him achieve his longstanding goals of winning a Champions League title and the Ballon d’Or.
The unveiling ceremony for Kylian Mbappe will take place at the Santiago Bernabeu on Tuesday, July 16, 2024, at 10:00 GMT (3:30 PM IST), marking the start of a new chapter for both the player and the club.
