“This time I won at Lusail Stadium” - Kylian Mbappe shares thoughts after lifting cup at venue where he lost to Lionel Messi in World Cup final
Real Madrid forward Kylian Mbappe shared his delight at tasting success at the Lusail Stadium, the venue of his iconic battle with Lionel Messi exactly two years ago. The Frenchman had an impressive night as he returned to fitness, scoring once as Los Blancos claimed a 3-0 win over Pachuca in the FIFA Intercontinental Cup final.
Mbappe returned to Doha, the capital of Qatar, for the first time since the 2022 FIFA World Cup final on December 18, 2022. While he lost that game to Lionel Messi's Argentina on penalties, the 25-year-old ended up on the right side of the scoreline this time.
After the game, the former PSG man posted on his Instagram account, showing his delight at winning the game at the iconic stadium. He also expressed his joy at winning a second title with Real Madrid within four months of the start of the 2024-25 campaign.
"Intercontinental Cup is back to Madrid. Second title of the season. This time I won at Lusail Stadium... #HalaMadrid"
Kylian Mbappe battled with then-teammate Lionel Messi in the World Cup final of 2022, scoring a hat-trick for his country. Messi scored twice in what ended as a 3-3 draw before leading La Albiceleste to a penalty shootout win over the French for a first World Cup title since 1986.
As a fresh-faced teenager, the Frenchman won the World Cup four years prior, in 2018, and was looking for a second win at the Mundial. Last week, he revealed that he had been upset about losing until he and Lionel Messi made a joke out of it after they returned to their club.
Kylian Mbappe scores on return as Real Madrid stroll to Intercontinental Cup win
Real Madrid forward Kylian Mbappe scored for the second game running to help his side defeat Pachuca 3-0 in the FIFA Intercontinental Cup final. The Spanish giants picked up their second title of the season, having already won the UEFA Super Cup in August.
Kylian Mbappe scored in his last appearance for Real Madrid against Atalanta in the UEFA Champions League last week but had to go off injured. The French forward was passed fit to start, and he opened the scoring in the 37th minute of the game. He was on hand to tap home after Vinicius Jr rounded the goalkeeper, leaving him with an easy finish.
Rodrygo scored a second for Los Blancos in the 53rd minute, firing home from the edge of the box after some nice play. Vinicius Jr then rounded off the scoring with six minutes to play, slotting home a penalty after Lucas Vazquez had been fouled.