Kylian Mbappe scored in Real Madrid’s 3-1 victory over Stuttgart to kick off his UEFA Champions League career at the Santiago Bernabeu Stadium.
Shortly after the second half started, the French sensation scored, taking advantage of a well placed cross from teammate Rodrygo.
Kylian Mbappe scored for Real Madrid in his team’s first Champions League game, reigniting his pursuit of a European championship.
Just seconds into the second half of Madrid’s 3-1 victory over Stuttgart at the Santiago Bernabeu Stadium, Mbappe hit the open net following a cross by Rodrygo.
“That night was amazing,” Mbappe remarked. “As with every Champions League game, it was a difficult one, but it was crucial to start with the victory at home.”
Mbappe appeared to blow candles and give a kiss as a way of celebrating. According to Spanish media, he did it to celebrate his mother’s fiftieth birthday.
The strike put Madrid, the reigning champions, ahead 1-0 until Stuttgart’s Deniz Undav equalized in the 68th minute. The defending champions were victorious as Endrick, a substitute, scored the last goal deep into stoppage time after Antonio Rüdiger had put Madrid back ahead in the 83rd.
Mbappé now stands among the top 10 scorers in the history of the competition with his 49th Champions League goal. He has three goals in a row and five goals overall in his first seven outings across all competitions with Madrid.
Mbappé declared, “I can do more.” “With every game, I feel better.”
Thibaut Courtois, the goalie for Real Madrid, was voted man of the match because he was instrumental in preventing Stuttgart from taking advantage of its several scoring opportunities.
Before netting, Mbappé had been largely quiet. His best opportunity came in the 25th minute when he entered the area and saw his low drive saved. A few minutes later, Federico Valverde’s low cross to the France star found a defender, but not before he was free inside the area.
Early on at the Bernabeu, Madrid struggled to generate many meaningful scoring opportunities. Stuttgart posed the biggest threat, hitting the crossbar with one shot and a handful of one-on-one opportunities.
For Madrid, Vinícius Júnior also struck the crossbar.
Despite failing to win the Champions League in seven seasons with Paris Saint-Germain—a team vying for its first trophy in Europe’s premier club competition—Mbappé did win the 2018 World Cup with France.
After a ten-year pursuit by the Spanish powerhouse, the playmaker left PSG as a free agent at the end of the previous season to join Madrid. This move could increase his chances of winning the European championship with the squad that has won the Champions League six times in the last eleven years.
With Monaco, Mbappé advanced to the club championship semifinals in 2017, while with PSG, he lost in the finals in 2020. He participated in the PSG semifinals in the previous season and in 2021.