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FOOTBALL

‘I’ll give my life for this club’: Real Madrid finally unveil Mbappé

After years in the making, French superstar Kylian Mbappé was officially unveiled as a Real Madrid player on Tuesday, telling 80,000 fans "my dream has come true".

'I'll give my life for this club': Real Madrid finally unveil Mbappé
French forward Kylian Mbappé (R) waves to the fans next to Real Madrid's President Florentino Pérez during a first appearance as a Real Madrid player at the Santiago Bernabeu Stadium in Madrid on July 16, 2024, after signing his new five-season contract. (Photo by Pierre-Philippe MARCOU / AFP)

The striker, who had completed his medical earlier on Tuesday morning, signed a five-year contract and was handed a No. 9 shirt by club president Florentino Pérez.

“Wow,” Mbappé said in Spanish to roars from a packed Santiago Bernabéu Stadium.

“For years I’ve dreamed of playing for Real Madrid and today my dream has come true,” said the 25-year-old former Paris Saint-Germain player.

“I’m a happy boy. I’m going to give my life for this club,” said Mbappé.

Accompanied by his parents watching from the crowd and with a former French hero of the club, Zinedine Zidane, in attendance, Mbappé was emotional as the crowd chanted his name, and at one point kissed the jersey of the reigning Spanish and European champions.

Mbappé is “an exceptional player who comes to help us continue winning, a player who today fulfils the dream of his life,” said Perez. “Welcome to your home.”

Exciting offensive trio

Although his new teammates began training on Monday, the forward, who captained France during their unsuccessful Euros campaign, will have a few more days off before kicking off his season in the Spanish capital.

The unveiling of Real’s latest Galáctico allowed its fans to continue celebrating following Spain’s Euro 2024 triumph on Sunday.

The crowd was expected to be bigger than that 15 years ago when Cristiano Ronaldo was unveiled.

The free tickets were snapped up rapidly with some fans reportedly trying to resell them to take advantage of the hype surrounding the arrival of arguably the world’s best striker.

80,000 Real Madrid fans welcomed the French star at the Bernabéu. Photo: Oscar del Pozo/AFP

At Real, Mbappé will form part of an offensive trio alongside England midfielder Jude Bellingham and Brazil attacker Vinicius Junior under the watch of veteran Italian coach Carlo Ancelotti.

That prospect is already exciting fans of the club who won their 15th Champions League title in June.

Los Blancos begin the defence of their La Liga crown with a match against Real Mallorca on the weekend of August 17-18.

Mbappé’s debut might have to wait until the following week when Real Madrid face Real Valladolid who were recently promoted from the second division.

Number 9 Mbappé shirts went on sale last Thursday in Real’s club shops which are covered with his image.

Mbappé arrives after a personally disappointing Euros campaign, where he was overshadowed by Spain’s new teenage sensation Lamine Yamal of Madrid’s rivals Barcelona and France lost to Spanish in the semi-finals.

That followed a difficult season with PSG following his decision not to renew his contract, with the striker — who was the Paris club’s all-time top scorer — admitting he felt “liberated, relieved” by his transfer to Real.

The club is hoping to offset the costs — a salary of at least €15 million ($16.3 million) per season and a signing bonus of more than €100 million – through sponsorship deals and ticket and merchandise sales.

Mbappé is hoping the move will finally see him win a Champions League and the Ballon d’Or, two of his lifelong objectives.

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RACISM

Spain hands out 8-month suspended term for racist abuse of Vinicius and Rudiger

A Spanish court has handed down an eight-month suspended jail term to a person for online racist abuse targeting Real Madrid players Vinicius Junior and Antonio Rudiger, the club said Wednesday.

Spain hands out 8-month suspended term for racist abuse of Vinicius and Rudiger

Real Madrid said the individual “acting under various pseudonyms on the digital forum of the Marca newspaper, directed serious racist attacks and insults against our players Vinicius Junior and Antonio Rudiger”.

“The court ordered the accused to serve eight months in prison and not to participate in the above-mentioned forum for 20 months,” the club said.

The accused was found guilty of two offences against Brazilian Vinicius and Rudiger, both aggravated by the fact that they acted with racist motives and, in the case of the German defender, also in contempt of his religion.

The suspended prison sentence was made conditional on the defendant’s participation in a non-discrimination programme.

Real Madrid pointed out that it was the second criminal conviction for racist insults against their players.

On June 10th, three Valencia fans were sentenced to eight months for racist insults targeting Vinicius in May 2023.

A prominent figure in the fight against racism in Spanish football, Vinicius has been targeted several times in recent years.

In January 2023, an effigy wearing a Vinicius shirt was found hanging from a bridge near the club’s training ground alongside a banner saying: “Madrid hates Real.”

In December, four Atletico Madrid fans were charged over the incident, with prosecutors pushing for jail terms of four years. No date has yet been set for a trial.

The Valencia incident sparked a fierce debate about whether Spain is doing enough to stamp out racism in football.

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