Kylian Mbappe had a “fantastic night” as he scored on his Real Madrid debut, helping his new team secure a record sixth UEFA Super Cup with a 2-0 victory over Atalanta on Wednesday in Warsaw. The French superstar, who had long awaited the opportunity to play for his dream club, celebrated his first appearance for Los Blancos with a goal after joining them this summer following the end of his Paris Saint-Germain contract. Fede Valverde opened the scoring for the Champions League holders in the 59th minute, following a competitive first half against the Italian Europa League champions.
Madrid began to dominate, and Mbappe sealed the win in the 68th minute with a powerful shot after Jude Bellingham found him in space in the box.
“It was a fantastic night; I’ve been waiting a long time for this moment, to play in this shirt, with this badge, and for these fans,” Mbappe told Movistar, speaking fluent Spanish.
Madrid’s win also saw coach Carlo Ancelotti equal former Real Madrid coach Miguel Munoz’s record of 14 titles with the club.
Ancelotti’s challenge this season is to create a system that maximizes the potential of his attacking lineup. In this match, Mbappe played as the central forward, with Vinicius Junior on the left and Rodrygo Goes on the right, giving a glimpse of how he might fit into Ancelotti’s plans.
As a result, England’s Jude Bellingham played in a midfield trio rather than the advanced role he excelled in last season.
“(Mbappe) has the ability to score many goals,” Ancelotti told Movistar. “Our focus now is finding the right balance in the team — something we lacked today.”
Mbappe had only one chance in a tight first half, with his shot in the 15th minute being well blocked by Isak Hien.
Atalanta, making their first Super Cup appearance after a surprise win over Bayer Leverkusen in the Europa League final, nearly took the lead when Eder Militao headed Marten de Roon’s cross just over his own bar.
Bellingham received a yellow card for a late tackle on Atalanta goalkeeper Juan Musso after miscontrolling a clever pass from Vinicius.
Rodrygo hit the crossbar just before halftime after being set up by Vinicius.
Madrid goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois, who missed much of last season due to injury, made a stunning one-handed save to deny a Mario Pasalic header at the start of the second half.
Madrid took the lead through Valverde, who tapped in from close range as Atalanta’s defense focused on Mbappe, who was finding more freedom.
Bellingham, increasingly influential, set up Vinicius, who squared the ball for Valverde to finish.
Valverde, now wearing the number eight shirt vacated by the retired Toni Kroos, expressed pride in inheriting the number. “It’s a great motivation to take on the number of a player I admire a lot. I dedicate the goal to him and my wife,” Valverde said.
Vinicius nearly added a second for Madrid, but Musso made a crucial save.
Swedish defender Hien blocked Bellingham’s shot, and Musso again denied the former Borussia Dortmund player.
Mbappe finally added Madrid’s second goal with a clinical finish after Bellingham, who was named player of the match, kept an attack alive and spotted Mbappe’s smart movement.
The 25-year-old striker received an ovation from Madrid fans when Ancelotti substituted him in the 83rd minute, likely the first of many.
Mbappe said he expects to improve in the coming weeks as Madrid’s La Liga campaign kicks off on Saturday against Real Mallorca.
“I’m sure we’ll get better, and I will too — but today is a positive start,” the striker added.
Rodrygo mentioned that Ancelotti instructed the forwards to frequently switch positions, a tactic evident in the second half.
“The coach asked us to change positions often or stay apart,” the Brazilian told Movistar. “They were man-marking, so we needed to move, and that’s what we did throughout the game.”
