Real Madrid: Behind the scenes of Kylian Mbappé’s adaptation

Between Paris Saint-Germain and Kylian Mbappé, love lasted seven years. Or maybe a little less. Recruited by the capital club in 2017, the former AS Monaco player quickly won the hearts of the people of Paris. But as in all love stories, there were ups and downs. The Bondy player was at the center of several controversies. And last year, something broke with the Parisian management, notably Nasser Al-Khelaïfi. The president of PSG did not accept that the striker refused to exercise his option to extend until 2025 and that he left on a free. Sent to the loft, the captain of the Blues was subsequently reinstated to live his last season in the PSG jersey. Then, he joined Real Madrid. A new start for Mbappé, who still has some financial and legal issues to resolve with Paris. But listening to him, it doesn’t really pollute his mind and his life, he who is happy to embark on a new adventure far from his country.

Presented on July 16th in front of 80,000 spectators at the Santiago Bernabéu stadium, he experienced a strong moment in his life as a player and as a man. Moreover, The Athletic reveals that his parents, Fayza Lamari and Wilfrid Mbappé, were impressed by the welcome their offspring received. The same goes for former players Raul and Alvaro Arbeloa, both surprised by the incredible atmosphere. After that, the player born in 98 enjoyed a few days off before returning to the Spanish squad. A starter in the European Super Cup against Atalanta, he opened his goal tally and won his first trophy in Madrid. The rest was a little more complicated for the striker, who had to find his marks and find his feet with his teammates. Not necessarily to his advantage in the game, he was silent for three days before scoring a double against Betis just before the international break in September. After these few weeks spent at his new club, Brand has also decided to draw up an initial assessment, beyond the field and the game.

Mbappé was surprised

The Iberian media explains that the Frenchman, who admitted to having difficulties, was pleasantly surprised by his first steps in Madrid. “Mbappé did not expect good treatment from Real Madrid after an impossible year at PSG (…) Kylian Mbappé is overflowing with happiness. And we are not saying it because of the two goals scored against Betis. The Frenchman is overwhelmed by what he has found in Madrid, something very far from the expectations set before his appearance in the Spanish capital. The truth is that he did not expect the reception he received in his first month in Madrid. The forward thought and assumed that he would have to go through a trial period to convince the Real Madrid fans, but it was not necessary. These first four weeks have served him, after a year full of tensions of all kinds in his relations with the PSG leaders and which has transformed his last months into a little hell, to realize the correctness of his decision to leave his Parisian scene and give way to a new life at Real Madrid. Since the first day he set foot on Spanish soil as a Real Madrid player, everything has been positive experiences, both from the fans of the white club and from all those who have little or nothing to do with Real Madrid and who have shown respect towards the Frenchman.”

The latter also convinced everyone. He inquired before his arrival about life in Madrid, in the club and the locker room. Once there, he was like a fish in water, he who knew almost everything about his new club. Over there, they also appreciate that he speaks impeccable Spanish, explains The Athleticwhich states that the player’s self-confidence was appreciated by the 400 journalists present at his presentation press conference. The American publication indicates that the Madrid leaders, who often questioned his integration before going on the offensive, are positively surprised by him. And they are not the only ones. Several sources close to Real Madrid have raved about the Frenchman.

He made a good impression off the pitch

“It’s as expected: an adaptation to a team that has changed a lot and in which he has to find his place. And he finds it.”said a person close to the locker room. Another source present at Valdebebas admitted: “I thought he would have a lot more ego, but that’s not the case. Here we had Cristiano (Ronaldo), one of those players with world superstar status, but Kylian’s character is totally different from Cris.” The same goes for someone close to a Madrid player. “I’ve only heard that he’s completely normal and not arrogant or anything – which is already news, I would say.” The feeling is the same on the staff side, who speak of a “smart boy”. As for the game, he is compared to Karim Benzema because he does not press high without the ball. But the Mister considers him as a number 9 capable of attacking spaces like “no one else in the world” and who is “capable of blocking central defenders and scoring with one touch of the ball with ease.”

Like Carlo Ancelotti, Florentino Perez is under the spell of the 25-year-old player according to Brand. It must be said that KM9 is involved on and off the pitch. He did not hesitate to support and ask for news of his young teammate Joan Martinez, who suffered a serious knee injury in August. Mbappé promised him that they would soon play together while wishing him a speedy recovery. He also talks with the youngsters of La Cantera. One of them told The Athletic : “On the first day he asked me my name and gave me his vision of how we could combine with the ball. The fact that someone like Mbappé approaches you showing interest and then is there during the session surprised me a little bit. At the moment he treats everyone the same, even if you are not part of the first team.”

New life in Madrid

Mbappé is therefore unanimous within the club, which does not put any pressure on him. In Spain, there is confidence in him and his qualities to impose himself, even if some media outlets point out his less good in recent days. “I think it’s normal that it took him a while to adapt to the new team, but little by little he’s contributing more and more. He’s a great player and he has Ancelotti’s full confidence. In addition, he seems to have a good relationship with the rest of his colleagues. He’s going to be a very big player for the club. It’s just a matter of time.”explains Juan Carlos Navarro, journalist for Files. Brand is also very enthusiastic about it. “Less than a month has been enough for no one to remember the past and to see and appreciate a player who admits to having found a sought-after paradise, but that pressures of all kinds have led him to let pass in his own time and in his own time.”

In the locker room, Kylian Mbappé is finding his feet and his place, he who is naturally close to the French Eduardo Camavinga, Aurélien Tchouaméni and Ferland Mendy. We have also seen him chatting with Jude Bellingham and Vinicius Jr during training. He has also become friends with Brahim Diaz, with whom he had dinner at a restaurant last month. This was one of the rare public outings of Mbappé, who was seen yesterday with Achraf Hakimi in Getafe. But in general, he spends most of his free time in his luxurious villa located in the Finca district of Madrid. The Frenchman is mainly focused on the pitch and his adaptation. His teammate, Lucas Vazquez, is not worried about him. He is convinced that the 2018 world champion has everything to impose himself and shine. “We are delighted with Mbappé. He is very calm and he has incredible quality. This year I expect many titles.” Mbappé too. In addition to the sporting aspect, the Frenchman has already contributed to Madrid since the jerseys with his name and number are selling like hotcakes. They quickly sold out, to the great delight of Real Madrid, who have a new golden goose.