Kylian Mbappé began his pursuit of a European title with Real Madrid by scoring in his debut Champions League match for the club.
Mbappé netted just seconds into the second half, converting a cross from Rodrygo to help Madrid secure a 3-1 victory over Stuttgart at the Santiago Bernabeu Stadium.
“It was a great night,” Mbappé said. “Champions League matches are always tough, but it was important to start with a home win.”
After scoring, Mbappé celebrated with a gesture that appeared to blow out candles and send a kiss, which, according to Spanish media, was in honor of his mother’s 50th birthday.
His goal gave the defending champions a 1-0 lead, but Stuttgart equalized through Deniz Undav in the 68th minute. Antonio Rüdiger restored Madrid’s lead in the 83rd, and substitute Endrick sealed the win with a late goal in stoppage time.
This was Mbappé’s 49th Champions League goal, placing him in the top 10 all-time scorers in the competition.
He has now scored in three consecutive matches, with five goals in seven games for Madrid across all competitions.
“I can do more,” Mbappé said. “I feel better with each game.”
Madrid goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois was named man of the match, making key saves to deny Stuttgart’s scoring chances.
Mbappé was relatively quiet until his goal, with one of his best opportunities coming in the 25th minute when his low shot was saved. Moments later, he was free inside the area, but Federico Valverde’s low cross was intercepted.
Madrid struggled to create clear chances early on, while Stuttgart posed more threats, including a shot that hit the crossbar.
Vinícius Júnior also hit the crossbar for Madrid.
Mbappé, a World Cup winner with France in 2018, had failed to secure a Champions League title during his seven seasons with Paris Saint-Germain, which was also chasing its first European crown.
He left PSG as a free agent last season to join Madrid, a club that had pursued him for a decade. The move could increase his chances of lifting the European trophy, as Madrid has won the Champions League six times in the past 11 years.
Mbappé previously reached the semifinals of the competition with Monaco in 2017, and was a finalist with PSG in 2020. He also reached the semifinals with PSG in 2021 and last season.
