Just 30 seconds inside the second half, Kylian Mbappé scored his first Champions League goal for Real Madrid.
The reigning European champions kicked off their title defense against Stuttgart at the Santiago Bernabéu. Real Madrid struggled to get on the scoresheet in the first half and only Thibaut Courtois's heroics between the posts kept the hosts in the game.
Mbappé delivered the goal the entire stadium was waiting for almost as soon as the second half got underway. Aurélien Tchouaméni played a ball over the top that found a streaking Rodrygo in acres of space on the right-wing. The Brazilian sprinted into the box and squared the ball for Mbappé, who buried the easy finish into the back of the net.
Kylian Mbappe scores his first #UCL goal as a Real Madrid player 🌟 pic.twitter.com/bGte0K5zfX
— CBS Sports Golazo ⚽️ (@CBSSportsGolazo) September 17, 2024
Mbappé's goal might have been his first for Real Madrid in the Champions League, but it was his 49th goal in the competition. At just 25 years old, the Frenchman now ranks in the top ten all-time UCL goalscorers.
The blockbuster signing got off to slow start in his debut La Liga campaign, only finding one goal from open play in five appearances. As he settles into his new role alongside Vinícius Júnior and Rodrygo, though, the Frenchman has looked more and more comfortable.
This article was originally published on www.si.com as Kylian Mbappe Scores Goal in Champions League Debut for Real Madrid.
