The arrival of Kylian Mbappe is poised to redefine the footballing landscape, ushering in an era of unparalleled dominance and strategic reshuffling.
Kylian Mbappe’s childhood dream to play for Real Madrid is all set to be a reality next season as the French World Cup winner has completed a free transfer to the Spanish giants. He has penned down a five-year deal and is expected to be their new number ‘9’.
The transfer saga could have ended two years back when Mbappe had the opportunity to join Los Blancos as a free agent. But, a last-minute change of heart resulted in him penning down a new deal with Paris Saint-Germain.
There was an option to extend his stay by another 12 months in his new deal. But the World Cup winner decided against it and had made it known to the club quite a while back. While Nasser Al-Khelaifi did say that there was no chance that Mbappe would leave PSG for free, in reality, that is exactly what has happened.
The French international has joined Los Blancos on a free transfer with his contract at PSG running out. His arrival is a huge boost for the Merengues. They are already the best team in Europe having won the La Liga and the Champions League during the 2023/24 campaign. And, just two days after winning the UCL, they announced the arrival of one of the best in the world.
Mbappe’s arrival will no doubt bolster their ranks and make their attack more threatening. But, it will also result in a lot of changes at the club. While they might not change how they play, the formation and the defensive structure will surely change.
Real Madrid to dominate Europe with Mbappe?
Los Blancos are already one of the most dominant teams in the world. Even without Mbappe in their ranks, it was not really that big a problem for them to win the league. While they did encounter some tough opponents on their road to the Champions League final, they had enough firepower in their ranks to clinch the UCL title.
Real Madrid already had a star-studded team with some of the best players in the world and with Mbappe joining them, they might just become unstoppable. Liverpool icon Steve McManaman feels Real Madrid could enter a ‘decade of dominance’ with the French international and Brazilian wonderkid Endrick joining them in the summer.
A squad that won La Liga as well as the UEFA Champions League without much trouble during the 2023/24 season will now have arguably the best attacker of the modern era in their ranks starting next season and along with him they will have an exciting young talent in Endrick.
Their arrival will give Carlo Ancelotti exceptional firepower in attack which he could use to dominate opposition. More importantly, these arrivals could lead them to a decade of unreal dominance where they win multiple La Liga and Champions League titles.
Major changes in roles for others with Mbappe’s arrival
Kylian Mbappe is one of the world’s best forwards and to slot him into his playing XI, Carlo Ancelotti will have to change quite a few things. More importantly, there will be significant changes in the roles of some of their key players.
Vinicius Junior might no longer be the guaranteed starter on the left flank. While the idea could be to use Mbappe as a nine and let Vini be on his preferred left flank, the French international is at his best when he is playing out wide. As a result, the Real Madrid number ‘7’ could also be asked to play as a nine at times.
Jude Bellingham who featured as an attacking midfielder and contributed towards quite a few goals during the 2023/24 campaign might no longer be seen in an offensive role. He will surely start the majority of the games but the 20-year-old will most likely feature as a central midfielder who will have increased defensive duties.
Rodrygo Goes was often used from the bench and handed out rare starts when Karim Benzema was still at the club. Last season, things changed a lot as he became a regular feature up top alongside Vinicius. But, with Mbappe arriving at the club, Rodrygo’s game time could once again take a hit.
If Los Blancos go ahead with a front three, he could still end up being a regular starter for them. However, he will have much more defensive duties from now on as Mbappe and Vinicius both don’t really drop too deep. Even if Real Madrid plays with a 4-3-3, in defensive transition it will be a 4-4-2 flat with Rodrygo being the right midfielder.
Federico Valverde has done wonders for Real Madrid as a right-sided central midfielder this season. He has racked up the most minutes for the Spanish giants this term. He is expected to have a similar role but his position could change slightly.
Valverde was often used as a right winger when Vinicius and Benzema used to lead the attack, and something similar could be seen next season. Playing the 25-year-old on the right flank means, they will have a better defensive structure. While Rodrygo is the more attacking option, Valverde will add stability and Real Madrid fans are well aware of what he is capable of when he plays in attacking roles.
Will the wait for an elusive continental treble end?
Over the years, only Celtic, Ajax, PSV Eindhoven, Manchester United, Barcelona (x2), Inter Milan, Bayern Munich (x2) and Manchester City have won the treble.
Despite their unprecedented dominance in the UEFA Champions League, a tournament which they have won a record 15 times, Real Madrid have never won a treble. They have never lifted the La Liga, Copa del Rey, and the Champions League in the same season.
Mbappe’s arrival will make them favourites for all major titles. The unreal strength of their squad suggests they will win the Champions League as well as the league title on numerous occasions. But, only time will tell if they can win it all in the same season.
Given the kind of squad they have brought together, people at the club will surely look to ensure they win a treble in the near future. While it won’t be a priority, they will surely start the season with hopes of winning every possible title.
