“It’s a magical night,” Kylian Mbappé, a professional football player, said after the Super Cup finals on Aug. 14. He scored his first goal in his debut game after joining professional football club Real Madrid, helping his new team win against Atalanta BC.

Mbappé signed a five-year contract with the Real Madrid football club in June; however, it was only last week that he played his first game with Real Madrid. 

“I think that him moving [to Real Madrid] was for the best, and he got the service that he wanted.” Robin Ibbotson, varsity boys soccer coach, said. “He still looks dangerous at times even in a new environment and I feel it will be a matter of time before he begins to build chemistry with the team.”

Although Mbappe’s move to Real Madrid was mostly well received, one of the recurring comments on his recent activity was regarding the type of support he receives from his team.

“Football is a team game and the lack of support from PSG [Paris Saint-Germain] held Mbappé back,” Sungwook Kim (12), varsity soccer vice-captain, said. “He is now entering the prime age for a footballer, and he has joined Real Madrid. This move created controversy because this move made Real Madrid unfairly strong on paper.”

Mbappé’s performance in the Super Cup supports this claim. It only took 68 minutes for Mbappe to score a goal against Atalanta, solidifying Real Madrid’s win in the Super Cup. 

The Super Cup, a yearly tournament organized by the Union of European Football Associations, is a prestigious contest where the champion teams from the Champions League and Europa League meet to determine the best of the best. 

“His first game with Madrid didn’t disappoint as he grabbed a goal for himself and played exceptionally well,” Sungwook said. “As strong of a team they were expected to be, I see Mbappe as one of the best players if not one of the greats in history at the end of his career.”