After joining the “club of his dreams,” Kylian Mbappé dug out his photo box and brought Cristiano Ronaldo into the scene. The French international posted several photos from 2012, posing as a 13-year-old in a Real Madrid tracksuit, next to his idol at the time, Ronaldo. The Portuguese star was one of the millions to react to the photos on Monday afternoon. “Now it’s my turn to watch you,” commented Cristiano Ronaldo, who played for Real Madrid from 2009 to 2018: “I am excited to see you shine at the Bernabéu.”
Kylian Mbappé’s transfer from Paris Saint-Germain to Real Madrid had been a done deal for some time and was made official on Monday. The Merengues had been courting the Frenchman for 12 years. Just before turning 14, Mbappé accepted an invitation to Madrid, spent a week there, attended a match at Santiago Bernabéu Stadium, and met Ronaldo and Zinedine Zidane, among others.
Mbappé, who lived and trained at the French youth academy in Clairefontaine, was later transferred to AS Monaco’s youth academy. Real continued to follow the forward, but his move to Paris happened in 2017. Seven years later, his dream comes true.
“Welcome to the best club in the world,” wrote veteran goalkeeper Iker Casillas on X, adding a reference to the Champions League: “The road to the 16th title starts with you.”