I knew my destiny was to play for Real Madrid – Kylian Mbappé

“It’s my childhood dream, I’ve been waiting for this moment for a long time and I want to adapt as quickly as possible,” Kylian Mbappé, the new madridista signee claims.

After being unveiled as a Real Madrid player, Kylian Mbappé addressed the media in the press room at the Santiago Bernabéu stadium. Accompanied by Emilio Butragueño, the club’s director of Institutional Relations, the new Madrid forward stepped into the press conference with a small model of our stadium and had the following to say: “This was a gift from my family when I was 8 years old and I promised to return with it. It’s a tribute to my family.”

“It’s an honour and a privilege to be a Real Madrid player, Kylian Mbappé added. It’s a fantastic day. I was expecting a great day, but it has been much greater than I ever imagined. Thanks to Real Madrid and to all the madridistas. The past is behind me and I want to enjoy the present. I want to enjoy every second of today because it’s a historic day and I want to tell my son about it.”

Destiny
“I feel privileged to be able to say that I’m a Real Madrid player. It was my dream as a child and I waited a long time for this moment. Now it’s come true. You can’t buy a dream. It’s very satisfying for me and my family. You know how much effort I had to make to get here, many steps. Now I just want to think about the present, I’m a very happy guy and I’m looking forward to seeing the coach and my teammates to play my first game.”

At what moment did he decide to sign?
“Since I was a kid. First, it was a dream and then a goal, because when you’re a professional you know you’re close, but I knew it was my destiny to play here. Now I’m lucky that this day has come. I’m truly happy and I want to enjoy it.”

Objectives
“I’ve joined the best club in the world and the biggest club in history through humility and ambition. These are the values of the club: humility, ambition and winning. The priority is to adapt well to the team. When that happens, everything will be much easier. I want to adapt as quickly as possible. I came close to signing two and three years ago, but that’s part of football life. The past is behind me and I only think about the present. Today is a day that will mark my whole life.”

Position
“I will play wherever the coach wants me to play. I can play in the three top positions. I did that for Paris, the national team and Monaco. The most important thing is to be physically fit. I want to be on the pitch, but where I play is not a debate for me. It doesn’t matter to me.”

A day to remember
“I was under a lot of pressure this morning when I woke up. I thought I had to enjoy every second, if the jitters didn’t stop me from enjoying this day. The passion and love the fans have shown me is unbelievable. I feel like an adopted player in this family and I already got to feel the connection with them.”

Joining the team
“I spoke to the manager this morning, but not about tactical things. We cracked jokes. I’m looking forward to playing with everyone. Vini, Bellingham. They are all great players. This morning I saw some of my teammates.”

His first memory as a madridista
“Zidane. For the French, he’s a very important person and we followed all his games here. Then my idol was Cristiano and I watched all his games. Then I couldn’t watch them because I had to play.”

What can he bring to the team?
“It’s a team that always wins. They’ve always won, and that’s why they’re the best team in the world. What I want to do is do my bit. I’m really happy and I’m looking forward to doing everything they ask me to do and to training.”

Did he ever think that his dream might not come true?
“I was sure my time would come. Madrid was the only option. I had offers from other clubs, but I always said that when I left Paris I’d go to Madrid. In my head, I knew that my next club was going to be Real Madrid.”

Injury to his nose
“We’re in contact with the club’s medical staff. They’re the ones who will give me more information in the next few days, when they have the results. When I come back from holiday, they’ll tell me how I can prepare to help the team as quickly as possible. I hope to play in the Super Cup but it depends if I’m ready. I’ll be working towards that. A trophy in my first game would be something unique.”

Joining the team
“I spoke to the manager this morning, but not about tactical things. We cracked jokes. I’m looking forward to playing with everyone. Vini, Bellingham. They are all great players. This morning I saw some of my teammates.”

His first memory as a madridista
“Zidane. For the French, he’s a very important person and we followed all his games here. Then my idol was Cristiano and I watched all his games. Then I couldn’t watch them because I had to play.”

What can he bring to the team?
“It’s a team that always wins. They’ve always won, and that’s why they’re the best team in the world. What I want to do is do my bit. I’m really happy and I’m looking forward to doing everything they ask me to do and to training.”

Did he ever think that his dream might not come true?
“I was sure my time would come. Madrid was the only option. I had offers from other clubs, but I always said that when I left Paris I’d go to Madrid. In my head, I knew that my next club was going to be Real Madrid.”

Injury to his nose
“We’re in contact with the club’s medical staff. They’re the ones who will give me more information in the next few days, when they have the results. When I come back from holiday, they’ll tell me how I can prepare to help the team as quickly as possible. I hope to play in the Super Cup but it depends if I’m ready. I’ll be working towards that. A trophy in my first game would be something unique.”

Why didn’t he come before?
“A lot can happen in football. All I can say is that I’m really happy to be here and to finally be a player at the best club in the world.”

Did he want to wear number 10?
“We have a number 10, that’s Luka Modrić. He’s one of the best players in the world, he was Ballon d’Or winner, I’m happy to be close to him in the dressing room, it’s a pleasure. The number was not important to me. I don’t look at what I have behind me, only what I have in front of me, which is the goal. The number 9 is important at Real Madrid. It’s an honour to be part of this team with this number.”

His visit to Real Madrid City in 2014
“I went in 2012 with Zizou. It was crazy, a dream. When I was 13 or 14 years old, coming here as a guest of Zidane was unbelievable. I was very excited and it was a moment in my life when I watched all the games. I went with my family thinking about being a Real Madrid player one day. Many children leave the stadium with big dreams and I want to tell them that anything can happen with passion.”

On his level of Spanish
“I wasn’t the best in school, but in Spanish, I gave 100 per cent because I had this dream of playing here. My Spanish is good, but I can improve in the everyday vocabulary. Speaking Spanish every day is going to help me improve, but I have also had Spanish-speaking coaches like Pochettino and Luis Enrique.”

His presentation
“I’ve imagined this moment a thousand times in my head… But this stage is just unbelievable. I didn’t expect such an amazing reception from all the madridistas.”

What have his new teammates told him?
“They tell me there is no other club quite like Real Madrid. Being here is a unique experience that you don’t get anywhere else. Everyone who works here has that passion for the club and you can feel it. I saw it when I came back in 2012.”

How did he find out he’d signed? Is he in the Real Madrid WhatsApp group?
“I’m not in the WhatsApp group yet. Now I can finally say I’m definitely a Real Madrid player. It was at 11:00 am with the president. You have the video right here, if you want.”

What’s the day been like?
“I only got about 1.5 hours’ sleep and I woke up with the nerves, wanting to enjoy every moment today. I wanted to be well informed about everything because I know this is going to stay with me for the rest of my life. It’s more than I ever expected. It’s a really special day. It means so much to be here, it’s incredible to see this stadium packed full of madridistas. I don’t have the words to explain how I feel in my heart. I couldn’t wait to share this with my family and the kids at my Foundation. I wanted them to have the chance to experience it with me. I know what it means to have a dream and I wanted to share that with my people, with the madridistas, with the kids and anyone else who has a dream.”

Will he be on the United States tour?
“If the club wants me to go, I will. If they don’t want me to, I won’t. I’ll do as the club asks.”

His goals
“They are no different to the goals of this club: to win trophies. First, I have to settle in. This club has been winning trophies for a long time before I arrived and will continue to do so long after I go. I want to win titles with the club and I have the experience to know it would be a mistake to set myself a goalscoring target. I’m not the only one who can score goals in this team.”

Endrick
“I know his reputation, which is fantastic. I haven’t seen him play much, only a bit with the Brazilian national side. If he signed for Real Madrid, I’m sure he’s a huge talent. He’s young and will have lots to learn. If he needs some advice or my help, he will have it, because I know what it means to start out young and feel the pressure at that age. I’m sure he’ll help the team out and score goals.”

His madridista past
“I watched the video on the TV and it was really emotional. I was just focused on enjoying the people there, my family and all the madridistas. It was an amazing day for me and my family and I hope the same goes for all the madridistas and the club itself.”

Butragueño: “We’re certain you’re going to help continue writing this club’s wonderful history”
Prior to the start of the press conference, the club’s director of Institutional Relations, Emilio Butragueño, addressed Mbappé: “As our president has already said, we welcome you to Real Madrid. We will do all we can to ensure you and your loved ones will be very happy here. We’re certain you’re going to help continue writing this club’s wonderful history. Welcome to your home, welcome to Real Madrid.”