Mbappé Debuts in Club World Cup, Helping Real Madrid Advance

MIAMI GARDENS, Fla. — Kylian Mbappé jogged, clapped his hands, and waved to the cheering fans as he stepped onto the pitch for the Club World Cup for the first time.

Once on the field, the Real Madrid star played a pivotal role in his team’s victory against Juventus, securing a spot in the quarterfinals.

Gonzalo Garcia, who filled in for Mbappé while he was recovering from an illness, scored the decisive goal with a header on Tuesday afternoon.

Mbappé entered the match in the 68th minute, contributing to the atmosphere as fans chanted his name before he took off his warm-up suit. Even though he didn’t score, he was actively involved, receiving a few passes from Vinicius Junior.

Prior to this match, Mbappé had been battling a gastrointestinal issue that required hospital treatment. He missed all three group matches, which Madrid managed to navigate with two wins and a draw.

In his absence, the 21-year-old Garcia managed to score three times, making an impact in every match of the tournament.

Real Madrid’s manager, Zabi Alonso, has not confirmed whether Mbappé will be available as a substitute in the upcoming quarter-finals.

Alonso mentioned, “I think he’s getting better every day. I talk to him regularly about how he feels, and I believe he’ll improve further before the quarter-finals.”

Hours before the match, Mbappé arrived with the team and walked onto the field to applause from the drenched crowd, who had braved a downpour throughout the day.

The return of Mbappé adds star power to a tournament that lost some luster when Lionel Messi and Inter Miami were eliminated in the same round by Paris Saint-Germain, the former clubs of both players.