Miami Gardens (US), July 2: Kylian Mbappé jogged, clapped his hands together and waved to a crowd of excited fans before checking into the Club World Cup for the first time.
From there, the Real Madrid star didn’t need to do much for his club to advance past Juventus into the tournament’s quarterfinals.
Gonzalo García, who had started Madrid’s four matches while Mbappé dealt with an illness, scored what turned out to be the winning goal on a header Tuesday afternoon before subbing out of the match.
Mbappé replaced him in the 68th minute of the 1-0 win in the round of 16, interacting with the crowd that chanted his name before taking off his warmup suit. He was active on the pitch and received a few passes from Vinicius Junior despite not scoring.
Mbappé had a gastrointestinal illness before Real Madrid’s opening Club World Cup match and was treated at a hospital. He sat out all three group matches as Madrid won two and drew the other.
In his place, the 21-year-old García scored three goals, with a goal contribution in every match of the tournament.
Real Madrid coach Xabi Alonso did not say whether Mbappé would start or come off the bench in the quarterfinals, which will be Saturday against either Borussia Dortmund or Monterrey at MetLife Stadium.
“I think that every single day he is getting better,” Alonso said through an interpreter.
“I think from now until the quarterfinals he’s going to be even better. I talk to him every single day and ask him how he is feeling, and I think he is going to be way better for the quarterfinals.”
Mbappé arrived with the team several hours before Tuesday’s game was set to begin at Hard Rock Stadium. He walked onto the field ahead of Tuesday’s match to an ovation from the fans in the soggy venue that had seen downpours throughout the afternoon.
Mbappé’s return brings star power to a tournament that took a hit when Lionel Messi and Inter Miami were eliminated in the round of 16 by Mbappé’s and Messi’s former club, Paris Saint-Germain. (AP)
