French-Cameroonian Kylian Mbappe thrilled to steer Real Madrid to victory against Osasuna

Kylian Mbappe expressed delight after making the difference for Real Madrid on his competitive Bernabeu debut wearing the club’s iconic No10 shirt.

The French-Cameroonian forward struck the only goal of the game in a 1-0 win over Osasuna, calmly dispatching a second-half penalty to seal victory in the opening La Liga fixture of the season.

Born in France to a Cameroonian father and Algerian mother, Mbappe has long been seen as a player carrying both European finesse and African flair.

On a night of symbolism and expectation, he introduced himself to the Madrid home crowd in decisive fashion, embodying the responsibility that comes with the famous number once worn by legends.

Reflecting on the match, Mbappe admitted Osasuna presented stern resistance: “It’s the first game of the season and it’s important for us to start with a win at home. We knew it was going to be a tough game, because Osasuna had a clear plan to wait for us to counter-attack. We worked on it.”

He acknowledged Madrid’s improved flow after the interval, emphasising the importance of control in the final third.

“We scored early in the second half and had more control. We wanted to score the second, but it didn’t happen. We’re happy with the win. We’re positive, but we’re going for more,” he added.

Mbappe also praised coach Xabi Alonso’s tactical instructions, pointing to the need for patience and movement across the pitch.

“He wanted us to have plenty of control of the ball… We’ve been working on that all week. There are things we can improve on, because it’s the first game of the season and we’ve just come back from holiday,” he noted.

For the forward, the night was about more than the result. “It’s special, an important number here,” he said of his new shirt. “I’ve been lucky enough to have two important numbers in two seasons, but the most important thing is to play here, at the Bernabeu, for Real Madrid.”