Kylian Mbappe arrived with the intention of integrating himself as seamlessly as possible into a team of champions, trying to carve out a place for himself among the stars already present, and he succeeded in doing so in barely six months.
This strategy of integration was initially logical in view of his move from PSG, and above all due to the fact that he had just achieved his ultimate dream. And for that dream to endure, he had to adapt to new methods.
"Vinicius Jr? It's up to me to adapt to the team and the players present," he explained to a packed press room on the day of his presentation at the Santiago Bernabeu.
"That's my priority, that's where I'm going to put all my energy, and that's the only thing on my mind."
And that is how the player's first few weeks in Madrid have been marked. A good thing, on the face of it, for the dressing room and for the club. On the other hand, the No. 9 also had to rediscover his best form, after a complicated final year in Ligue 1 and a nose injury at the EUROs that slowed him down.
But as is often the case, there can be ups and downs. And Mbappe has had his share of ups and downs. The first few months of the season have been marked by a player who seemed to be a shadow of his former self, despite the goals he scored. Carlo Ancelotti struggled to form his 2023/2024 team and, in addition to integrating his new star, he needed to find a balance since the departure of Toni Kroos.
Not an easy task. Both the Italian coach and the French striker have come under fire from the fans and the Spanish and French press.
So would putting his new star on a pedestal have been a better solution? We'll never know, but there's no doubt that the gamble would have been very risky with players who have won everything next to him.
Now, seven months later, it is clear that Mbappe has won over the Real Madrid club and dressing room. And what cause is that? That of becoming number 1, the player he has become accustomed to being, with one final dream to fulfil: winning the Ballon d'Or.
The dressing room fell in love with Mbappe
Wanting to fit in is all well and good. Becoming the team leader is better. Mbappe can now pride himself on having returned to his former self, thanks to hard work both on and off the pitch. Because to be the best in your team, you first have to get back to the physical shape that made you shine.
That was one of the goals he set for the club when he arrived last July. The Frenchman moved to the Spanish capital without a personal fitness trainer, but gave Real Madrid all the freedom they needed to help him get back to his best.
As far as Antonio Pintus and Co are concerned, everything went according to plan, with the Frenchman pulling out all the stops. He followed the plan drawn up by the club's chief fitness coach to the letter, working both at the Ciudad Real Madrid facilities and remotely.
The two international breaks he missed did him a world of good when it came to making up for the physical preparation he missed over the summer. And rest was crucial for him to regenerate. And between October and November, Ancelotti was assuring the press that the player's best form was close to arriving.
The reports coming out of the club about the Frenchman's state of mind have always been good - even perfect: "an educated boy, happy to be in Madrid, and determined to integrate as well as possible into his new club".
While some of the French press reported that the player found it difficult to integrate into the dressing room with his teammates, particularly "the Brazilians", several of the Spanish club's players' entourages assured Flashscore News that, week after week, they all welcomed the French national team captain with open arms.
And not because he's a 'dictator' (or some other odd reason), but because Mbappe has done everything necessary, from day one, to become one with his new dressing room.
He soon formed an affinity with Brahim Diaz, before reuniting with his teammates in the France squad. And as the weeks went by, his relationship with Vinicius Jr. - which many feared before his signing - became genuinely friendly, as the Brazilian's entourage was able to confirm.
From then on, his teammates were only waiting for one thing: for Mbappe to get back to his real level and provide them, and all those who believed in him, with the goals Real Madrid needed.
Mbappe: the natural leader
"I can't arrive at a club like Real Madrid and say 'hey, pass me the ball', as if I were the boss."
That's what the player explained at a press conference on Tuesday ahead of the match against Salzburg. And it makes sense. But, factually, the reality was this: the Frenchman had signed for Real Madrid to be its leader, as Cristiano Ronaldo was before him.
That, in any case, is why Florentino Perez was so determined to sign him, despite everything that has happened since 2021.
Initially, it didn't help that Carlo Ancelotti didn't really decide who was the team's penalty taker, alternating week after week between himself, Vinicius Jr. and Jude Bellingham. But since the start of January, the Italian has admitted that he finally had to "make a decision", a decision that came at the same time as Mbappe had rediscovered his best form...
Seven months on, Mbappe, who has scored in every final he has played for Real, has won two trophies (European Supercup and Intercontinental Cup). His figures, meanwhile, are good and will continue to climb until next July with the new Club World Cup: 18 goals and four assists in 28 matches across all competitions.
Above all, he has managed to rally all his team-mates to his cause, through humility, attentiveness and decisive performances. Vinicius Jr, considered by many to be the best player in the world in the 2023/2024 season, declared after the victory over Salzburg that the Frenchman had "come to help us", and that they would "help Mbappe to be Pichichi in all competitions".
Quite a statement from the Brazilian, who demonstrates the desire of his teammates to help him achieve his ultimate dream: the Ballon d'Or.
