Kylian Mbappé made his long-awaited Club World Cup debut for Real Madrid on Tuesday, coming off the bench in their 1-0 victory over Juventus to secure a quarterfinal spot.
Mbappé, who missed Madrid’s first three matches due to illness, entered the match in the 68th minute to a loud ovation from the Hard Rock Stadium crowd. He interacted with fans before taking off his warm-up and showed flashes of activity on the pitch, although he didn’t score.
Gonzalo García, the 21-year-old who had filled in for Mbappé during the group stage, scored the winning goal with a header before being substituted for the French star.
Mbappé had been sidelined with a gastrointestinal illness, requiring hospital treatment, but Real Madrid still managed to progress unbeaten, with García contributing three goals in as many matches.
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Coach Xabi Alonso did not confirm whether Mbappé will start in Saturday's quarterfinal against either Borussia Dortmund or Monterrey at MetLife Stadium. "He’s improving every day. I think he’ll be even better by the quarterfinals," Alonso said.
Mbappé’s return adds star power to the tournament, which saw Lionel Messi and Inter Miami exit in the round of 16 after losing to PSG.
Source: Agency