Kylian Mbappe scores on debut for Real Madrid in win over Atalanta in UEFA Super Cup

Kylian Mbappe of Real Madrid rejoices in their victory in the Super Cup alongside Endrick, Vinicius Junior, Dani Ceballos, and fellow teammates. Photo courtesy of REUTERS.

A goal and a trophy. Pretty impressive first performance from Kylian Mbappe, eh?

The leader of the French team wore the well-known white shirt of the Spanish champions for the very first time in a serious game and celebrated the moment by scoring the second goal in a 2-0 victory against Atalanta in the UEFA Super Cup.

Mbappe, who was in the starting lineup and played for 82 minutes at the National Stadium in Warsaw, received a pass from Jude Bellingham in the box and then scored a goal into the top corner in the 68th minute.

"He is unstoppable," Bellingham declared about Mbappe.

This is a significant milestone for him. There has been a lot of discussion about him joining this place for quite some time, and it seems like he has settled in quickly.

Following his signature celebration of crossing his arms over his chest, Mbappé was praised by Vinícius Júnior and Rodrygo, the fellow members of Madrid's talented attacking trio that could be making big waves in European football as the new season approaches.

Federico Valverde scored a goal from a cross by Vinícius in the 59th minute, helping Madrid secure their sixth win in the Super Cup. This annual match features the Champions League winners (Madrid) taking on the Europa League champions (Atalanta).

Madrid is known for breaking records - they have won the European Cup title 15 times, more than any other team. They also have some of the best players in the world.

Mbappé definitely fits into that group, and he had an impressive beginning at the top soccer club in the world. It was a dream come true for him to play for this team, something he imagined as a child. He finally made that dream a reality by leaving Paris Saint-Germain after a long and complicated situation.

Currently, he plays as Madrid's main striker and began the Super Cup in that position. Although he didn't have much success, he did impress the crowd with a few fancy moves in the first half. In the second half, he switched to a wider position and had a more positive impact on the game.

"We have a fresh team and everything fell into place tonight," said Bellingham. "It can take some time to adjust - in the first half we were still getting used to it - but in the second half, everything came together and we played really well." Vinícius and Bellingham, who were key players in Madrid's success last season, stood out in the game. Carlo Ancelotti's team eventually dominated Atalanta after a balanced first half where both teams hit the crossbar.

Madrid defender Eder Militao accidentally hit the crossbar with a deflection, and shortly after Rodrygo took a shot that hit the top of the bar just before halftime.

"At a certain moment, the match was almost in our hands," commented Atalanta coach Gian Piero Gasperini.

Atalanta came close to scoring first in the second half when Mario Pašalic's header was saved by goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois. However, Madrid took control of the game after that, with Vinícius playing a more central role.

Ancelotti may need some time to figure out the best attacking strategy - even though Brazil striker Endrick, who was signed in the summer along with Mbappé, didn't get any playing time in the game. But this is a good problem for the Italian coach to have.

Ancelotti mentioned that the biggest challenge is achieving a balance in the team with the talented players we have in the attack. He believes that if we can accomplish this, we can have a successful season. He also praised the squad, calling it fantastic. Luka Modric, the experienced Croatian player, was among the substitutes in the second half for Madrid. He proudly lifted the trophy while Mbappé celebrated beside him. Later, Mbappé also got his hands on the trophy.

"I was really impressed by Mbappé before, but now that I have the opportunity to play with him, I see his skills in more detail. His speed, his high level of talent, his strong defensive work, his leadership qualities, and his excellent communication skills are all evident. I can't praise him enough."