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Kylian Mbappe enjoys perfect debut as Real Madrid win record-breaking Super Cup

  /  autty

Kylian Mbappe scored a debut goal to kick-start his Real Madrid dream and show he was born to be a Galactico.

The French superstar was leading the line for his new club for the first time last night - and already has a first trophy in the bag. With the 2-0 victory over Atalanta securing Real Madrid a record-breaking sixth UEFA Super Cup.

It may not have been an instant impact. In fact, for the best part of an hour, the game had barely got going. But there is something that just feels right about Mbappe donning the all white of Real Madrid.

Just to look at their starting lineup was enough to make the hairs stand on the back of your neck. Mbappe, Vinicius Jnr, Jude Bellingham.

This is not fantasy football. This is what six Champions League titles in 10 years can get you. And the new-look Madrid soon clicked through the gears to sweep aside Europa League winners Atalanta.

Leading the line for the first time in the famous No.9. It's a shirt that carries immense pressure, though you'd expect Mbappe will relish that. But with great pressure comes great expectation. And for most of the first half, it was awkward. A clever flick here, a nutmeg there, running into blind alleys.

The type of display you'd expect from a player who'd yet to be fully in sync with his team-mates. That was as much to Atalanta's credit as it was down to the occasion. Mbappe will play in much bigger games to come. At least, he'll hope so.

If anyone expected Mbappe and co. to blitz through and run riot against the Europa League winners, they were mistaken. Of course, it was never going to be that easy.

Yet even as the well-drilled Italian side left Mbappe feeding off scraps, you sensed it was coming eventually. When Madrid finally did get their breakthrough, it was not Mbappe on the end of Bellingham and Vinicius Jr's link-up, but Federico Valverde to tap home from close range.

That was not part of the script. But the next part was. Vinicius, to Bellingham, to Mbappe, who buried it in the top corner. How many times will we see that in the years to come?

Plenty, Mbappe will hope. He was substituted not long after, his first contribution complete. A new Galactico era has begun.

“[That was] really fun,” Bellingham said. “We have a new-look team tonight and it somehow just clicked. Sometimes it takes a bit of time, the first half we were still adjusting and then second half it just all came together and we were brilliant.”

Asked if Mbappe's goal was written in the stars, Bellingham agreed and said: "He’s just one of those players. He’s brilliant. So sharp, so much technical quality and a great team-mate as well.

“He doesn’t just rely on the quality he’s got, he works for the team as well, so credit to him and he deserves it.”

Real kick-off their LaLiga season on Sunday against Real Mallorca, but Bellingham warned: “Not every game is going to be like this. We’re going to have to suffer at times. You’ve got to enjoy nights like tonight but, come Sunday, straight back to work.”