Kylian Mbappé’s New Chapter at Real Madrid
Kylian Mbappé is set to don the esteemed No. 10 shirt at Real Madrid for the upcoming season, as confirmed by a reliable source to ESPN. This change comes after he initially wore No. 9 during his inaugural year with the club. The iconic No. 10 became vacant following the departure of Luka Modric, who has signed with AC Milan after a distinguished 13-year tenure at Bernabeu.
Anticipation and Performance
Mbappé, who is also recognized as No. 10 with the French national team, had been anticipating this number transition at Real Madrid as soon as it became attainable. However, there were considerations for him to retain No. 9 for another season should Modric have opted to renew his Madrid contract, according to insights shared with ESPN.
Despite the tumultuous end to the season, Mbappé’s personal performance was remarkable; he finished as LaLiga’s top scorer with an impressive tally of 31 goals. Notably, he outscored Cristiano Ronaldo’s debut season record for the club, which was 33 goals across all competitions. His remarkable contributions included four goals in significant final matches, such as the UEFA Super Cup against Atalanta and the FIFA Intercontinental Cup versus Pachuca, though his team faced disheartening losses in the Copa del Rey and Spanish Supercopa finals.
Challenges Faced
However, not everything went smoothly for the 26-year-old Frenchman. His season with Madrid concluded without a major trophy, having finished second to Barcelona in LaLiga and faced elimination by Arsenal in the Champions League quarterfinals. His performance at the recently held Club World Cup in the United States was hampered as he dealt with a bout of acute gastroenteritis, missing out on the group stage. Although he returned for the knockout phase, Real Madrid’s run ended in a heavy semifinal defeat, losing 4-0 to PSG, his former club.
