Konate and Cucurella join Real Madrid training as Mbappe returns

Ibrahima Konate and Marc Cucurella have taken part in training with Real Madrid for the first time since joining the club, while Kylian Mbappe made his first appearance of the summer after a period of rest following his involvement in the World Cup.

The three players were involved in Monday’s session as Real Madrid continued their preparations for the new season. It was the first time Konate and Cucurella had trained with their new team.

Konate joined Real Madrid this summer after his contract with Liverpool came to an end. Cucurella moved to the Spanish club from Chelsea, completing his switch to the reigning Spanish side ahead of the 2026-27 campaign.

Mbappe’s return provided the other notable development at the session. The France forward had been away from training after taking a break following his participation in the World Cup.

All three players will begin the new season under the management of Jose Mourinho, who is in charge of Real Madrid’s first team.

Real Madrid started their preparations for the new campaign several weeks ago, with the latest session marking a significant stage in the integration of their summer arrivals and the return of Mbappe.

The Spanish league season for 2026-27 is scheduled to begin on 15 August, giving the club a short period to complete its preparations before competitive football starts.

Konate’s arrival followed the end of his time at Liverpool, while Cucurella’s move brought him to Real Madrid from Chelsea. Their first training appearance with the club comes as Mourinho continues to prepare his squad for the opening fixtures of the season.

Mbappe’s involvement means the forward has now rejoined the group after his World Cup-related rest. The session therefore brought together two new arrivals and one established Real Madrid player returning to work ahead of the start of the league campaign.

Monday’s training was held as part of Real Madrid’s pre-season programme, which began several weeks earlier. The club’s focus is now on completing that preparation before the 2026-27 Spanish league season gets under way on 15 August.