Fifteen years after his lifelong idol, Kylian Mbappé is set to be unveiled as the new star of Real Madrid.
On July 16th, at noon, the Santiago Bernabeu is expected to be packed as fans shower love on the French team captain. However, unlike Cristiano Ronaldo’s presentation back then, Real Madrid aims to avoid any “mistakes,” according to the Spanish press.
Real Madrid, undoubtedly one of the most followed clubs globally, with 15 Champions League titles to their name, is a football institution known for grand gestures when necessary. This was evident during Cristiano Ronaldo’s €94 million transfer in 2009, making him the most expensive player at the time, with an extraordinary presentation at the Santiago Bernabeu.
The club acknowledges past mistakes in handling Ronaldo’s presentation. Indeed, Cristiano Ronaldo was introduced to Real Madrid fans on July 6, 2009, alongside the late Eusebio and Alfredo Di Stéfano, in front of 80,000 people. Real Madrid plans to incorporate some positive aspects from Ronaldo’s presentation but with the benefit of hindsight to avoid previous errors, such as the open access policy that led to uncontrollable crowd influx, as reported by Relevo.
For Kylian Mbappé, Real Madrid plans to maintain free access, similar to Ronaldo’s presentation, but with a twist. Open access will be restricted next Tuesday, prioritizing socios (club members) for entry, followed by registered Madridistas, and then the general public. With renovations at the Santiago Bernabeu allowing for larger crowds, Mbappé’s unveiling promises to be legendary, featuring fireworks and a 360º moving screen.
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