French superstar Kylian Mbappe was officially unveiled as a Real Madrid player on Tuesday, telling 80,000 fans "my dream has come true".
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 Perez. "Wow," Mbappe said in Spanish to roars from a packed Santiago Bernabeu 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 Mbappe. Accompanied by his parents watching from the crowd and with a former French hero of the club, Zinedine Zidane, in attendance, Mbappe was emotional as the crowd chanted his name, and at one point kissed the jersey of the reigning Spanish and European champions.
Mbappe 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." ¡Bienvenido a tu nueva casa, @KMbappe!#WelcomeMbappé pic.twitter.com/rFtyvX4qdo 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.