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    Kylian Mbappe is unveiled in front of 80,000 Real Madrid fans at the Santiago Bernabeu and hails move to the 'club of my dreams' after leaving PSG

    By Luke Power,

    14 hours ago

    Kylian Mbappe was given a glorious unveiling in front of 80,000 Real Madrid fans and their 15 Champions League trophies at the Santiago Bernabeu.

    The French superstar beamed as he spoke about joining the 'club of his dreams' after being teed up by a performance from Andrea Bocelli , an extended montage of his highlights, and a speech from club president Florentino Perez.

    Mbappe, 25, will take the number nine shirt after sealing his move from Paris Saint-Germain and ending one of football's most protracted transfer sagas.

    The forward was serenaded as the Bernabeu blasted out their iconic Hala Madrid anthem and paraded in front of fans booting footballs into the baying crowd. In imitation of Cristiano Ronaldo at his unveiling, he kissed the badge.

    His mother broke down in tears as he emerged and spoke of his pride to be joining the 'biggest club in the history of world football'.

    https://img.particlenews.com/image.php?url=1xRdeC_0uT2AeuF00
    The French superstar beamed as he stepped out in front of an adoring and cheering crowd
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    He walked past Real Madrid's 14 Champions League trophies as he took to the stage to speak
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    Mbappe had a photo with his parents - father Wilfried Mbappe and mother Fayza Lamari
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    Around 80,000 fans have arrived at the Santiago Bernabeu to witness his unveiling
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    His confirmation as a Real Madrid player ended one of football's longest-running sagas
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    A throng of supporters greeted Mbappe outside the ground to try and get photos and autographs
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    Row upon row of memorabilia was on sale to commemmorate a historic day in football
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    He also took a photo with Zinedine Zidane, club president Florentino Perez, and honorary president and club legend Jose Martinez Pirri (right)
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    Mbappe's parents, Fayza Lamari (R) and Wilfrid Mbappe (L), walked out in front of the fans

    'My family are so happy. I can see my mum crying. It's an incredible day for me. I've dreamed about this day since I was a kid. Being here today means a lot to me,' he said in Spanish as the crowd persistently interrupted his speech with cheers.

    'Now I have another dream - and that's the dream of living up to this club's history and Madridistas' expectations. I can promise that I will give my all for the club and this badge.

    'I'd also like a send a message to all the kids here today. I was once like you. If you have the passion, you'll achieve your dreams.

    'I'm very excited and emotional. The fact that I'm talking so much means that it's very important for me to be here today. This is the club of my dreams and the biggest club in the history of world football.'

    He then counted to three and urged the fans to chant 'Hala Madrid!'

    Mbappe spent seven years in the French capital and was wildly successful, lifting seven Ligue 1 titles, but the Champions League has always eluded him.

    He has agreed to take a major pay cut after signing a five-year contract and is due to receive £12.8million net a season at Madrid, down from the £21.4m net he earned in Paris.

    Despite losing out in terms of basic wage Mbappe will be paid a sizeable signing on fee understood to be over £85.6m and will keep an 80 per cent share of image rights on any new commercial deals he signs after becoming a Madrid player. This breaks from the normal 50-50 split the club usually imposes on new players.

    https://img.particlenews.com/image.php?url=26uDkI_0uT2AeuF00
    Kylian Mbappe wore the No 10 shirt for France at Euro 2024 but he will be Real Madrid's No 9
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    Mbappe, pictured in May this year, wore the No 7 for most of his Paris Saint-Germain career
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    Zidane embraced Mbappe as he took to the plinth to address his new supporters
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    The crowd went wild as Mbappe walked around the pitch and greeted fans at the side
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    There was barely a moment where Mbappe, 25, was not smiling as he took in his unveiling
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    The new Madridista kissed his badge in front of the club's Champions League trophies as fans cheered
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    President Perez was delighted to have finally brought Mbappe to Real Madrid
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    Los Blancos fans have been waiting years for Mbappe to sign for them and he hopes to win Europe's top crown

    Los Blancos announced recently that he will take the number nine shirt in his first season at the club, which was vacated by Karim Benzema after the 2022-23 season.

    Mbappe wore No 7 for the majority of his Paris Saint-Germain career but that jersey currently belongs to Vinicius Junior at Madrid. Meanwhile, Mbappe was France's No 10 at Euro 2024 - a number that has been Luka Modric 's at the Bernabeu since 2017.

    France were eliminated from Euro 2024 at the semi-final stage by Spain.

    Madrid had been waiting until Mbappe's Euros participation was over before announcing their plans to officially unveil him.

    President Perez welcome him fondly.

    He said: 'This love that you felt for Real Madrid, and you identifying with this club since your childhood, made it possible for you to be here and to overcome those obstacles on the way to your dream.'

    'Today Kylian Mbappe has fulfilled his dream. Kylian, welcome home. Welcome to Real Madrid.'

    The forward has long been linked with a move to Real Madrid and almost joined Los Blancos in the summer of 2022, before he made a late u-turn and penned a new deal with the Ligue 1 side.

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    Vendors made sure to capitalise on the historic occasion by selling many scarves
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    Supporters were delighted to take their slice of history and purchase their first Mbappe memorabilia at the club
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    Around 80,000 fans were present inside the stadium to welcome one of the world's best players
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    The stadium was packed out and fans gave Mbappe a hearty welcome as he emerged
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    He counted to three and encouraged fans to chant 'Hala Madrid' to mark the occasion

    But Mbappe found himself at odds with the French club last summer after he turned down a one-year extension to his deal, citing his unhappiness with the direction the club was taking.

    PSG had been willing to give him greater incentives to stay on a long-term deal with plans afoot to recruit more France internationals and create a closer identity with the club's fan base.

    His decision led to him being briefly banished from first-team training, and while he eventually returned to the starting XI under Luis Enrique, speculation continued to mount throughout the campaign that he would depart this summer.

    Mbappe only officially announced he would be leaving on Friday, May 10 as he shared a heartfelt message to the club's fans.

    'I wanted to speak to you. I've always said that I would speak with you when the time comes, and so I wanted to announce to you all that it's my last year at Paris Saint-Germain,' he said. 'I will not extend and the adventure will come to an end in a few weeks.

    'I will play my last game at the Parc des Princes on Sunday. It's a lot of emotion; many years where I had the chance and the great honour to be a member of the biggest French club - one of the best in the world - which allowed me to arrive here, to have my first experience in a club with a lot of pressure.

    'To grow as a player of course, by being alongside some of the best in history - some of the greatest champions; to meet a lot of people, to grow as a man as well, with all the glory and the mistakes I've made.

    Mbappe's career in numbers

    1x World Cup

    7x Ligue 1

    4x Coupe de France

    3x Trophée des Champions

    1x World Cup Golden Boot

    1x Golden Boy

    3x Ligue 1 Young POTY

    5x Ligue 1 POTY

    6x Ligue 1 top scorer

    'It's hard, and I never thought it would be this difficult to announce that, to leave my country, France, Ligue 1, a championship I have always known, but I think I needed this - a new challenge after seven years.'

    Mbappe's decision to leave Paris for Madrid has been welcomed in the Spanish capital as the final piece in the puzzle for Ancelotti to lead a team that can dominate European football for the next decade.

    After his exit was confirmed, PSG president Nasser Al-Khelaifi left the door open to him returning one day. 'I wish him all the best,' he said.

    ‘He did amazing for us in seven years and was vice captain. He arrived with us as a teenager and now he is a big man, the best player in the world and I wish him all the best.’

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