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French superstar Kylian Mbappe made a winning and scoring start with his new team – Real Madrid – leading the Spanish side to a 2-0 win over Atalanta in their UEFA Super Cup match in Warsaw on Thursday night. The former PSG striker linked up with England star Jude Bellingham to score his maiden goal for the Los Blancos.
The 25-year-old made a superb run into the Atalanta box before being picked out by his Real teammate. Mbappe then made no mistake in finding the net, firing past Juan Musso into the Atalanta goal, the top corner before enjoying the celebrations.
Kylian Mbappé’s first goal for Real Madrid ⚽🎥#SuperCup pic.twitter.com/tkp33z0tnm
— UEFA Champions League (@ChampionsLeague) August 14, 2024
Mbappé, who started and played 82 minutes at the National Stadium in Warsaw, met a pass from Jude Bellingham across the area with a shot into the top corner in the 68th minute. “He is inevitable,” Bellingham said of Mbappé, rekindling memories on famous dialogue by ‘Thanos’ in Avenger movies.
“It’s a big step for him – people have been talking about him coming here for a long time — and it feels like he’s been here for a while.”
After putting both arms across his chest for his trademark celebration, Mbappé was congratulated by Vinícius Júnior and Rodrygo, the other members of Madrid’s star-studded strike force that might be sending tremors around European soccer heading into the new season.
Federico Valverde tapped home a cross from Vinícius in the 59th to set Madrid on its way to a record sixth victory in the Super Cup, the annual match between the Champions League winners (Madrid) and the Europa League champions (Atalanta).
Madrid is used to holding records — no team has more European Cup titles than their 15 — and owning the world’s best players. Mbappé certainly belongs in that category and it was a strong start to life at the world’s top soccer club, one he dreamt of playing for as a kid before fulfilling that reality by moving from Paris Saint-Germain after a drawn-out saga.
Now he is Madrid’s No. 9 and started the Super Cup as the team’s central striker — to limited success, aside from a couple of spins and tricks that wowed the crowd in the first half — before moving out wide for the second half to greater effect.
“We have a new-look team and it seemed to just click tonight,” Bellingham said. “Sometimes it takes a bit of time – the first half we were still adjusting — and the second half it all came together and we were brilliant.”
Vinícius and Bellingham, stars of Madrid’s run to the Champions League and La Liga titles last season, were the game’s standout players, however, as Carlo Ancelotti’s team eventually overpowered Atalanta after an even first half that saw both sides hit the crossbar.
(with AP inputs)
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