According to Diario AS, the Bernabeu stadium will be packed on July 16th, with 80,000 spectators attending Real Madrid’s unveiling of Kylian Mbappe.
Mbappe will wear the number 9 jersey and step onto the Bernabeu pitch under lights and fireworks. Regardless of how far the French national team advances, Real Madrid has scheduled Mbappe’s unveiling two days after the Euro 2024 final. If France is eliminated early, Mbappe will take a few days off or have a nose surgery before his Bernabeu debut.
Kylian Mbappe will be introduced at the Bernabeu on July 16, 2024. Photo: AS
The unveiling event, dubbed “M-Day,” is planned to start at 7 PM, Madrid time. According to Diario AS, Real Madrid aims for this to be the “most impressive unveiling ever seen for a football player.” The transfer of Mbappe has been a long and highly publicized process in both French and Spanish media.
A catwalk will be prepared for Mbappe, starting from the locker room door to the main stage. The 26-year-old forward will walk this path, similar to what American singer Taylor Swift did when performing at the Bernabeu at the end of May 2024.
President Florentino Perez, along with honorary president Pirri, will host the event. Guests will sit on a podium on the field. Above, a 360-degree screen will display highlights of Mbappe’s career, especially his 2018 World Cup victory.
If more than 80,000 people attend the Bernabeu as expected, Mbappe will become the footballer with the highest-attended debut. The current record belongs to Cristiano Ronaldo, who drew 75,000 fans at his Bernabeu debut in 2009. Coincidentally, both Ronaldo and Mbappe wore the number 9 jersey at their debuts.
Ronaldo and Mbappe will also face off in the Euro 2024 quarterfinals when Portugal plays France at the Volksparkstadion in Hamburg on the evening of July 5th.
Real Madrid announced Mbappe’s signing on June 2nd, with a brief statement that he would sign a five-year contract. The French national team captain, who rose through the ranks at Monaco and played seven seasons at PSG, joins Real Madrid on a free transfer. He will have to take a significant pay cut in Madrid in exchange for other benefits.
