Vinicius Jr welcomes Kylian Mbappe to Real Madrid with social media post, makes callback to iconic Cristiano Ronaldo moment
Real Madrid striker Vinicius Jr welcomed new arrival Kylian Mbappe with an iconic Cristiano Ronaldo callback moment. The Frenchman was unveiled at the Santiago Bernabeu on Tuesday (July 16).
Mbappe arrives on a free transfer after a prolific 2023-24 season for PSG - scoring 44 times across competitions - leaving as their all-time top scorer with 256 goals in seven seasons.
With Los Blancos announcing the unveiling of Mbappe with a picture of the player holding a No. 9 jersey along with president Florentino Perez, Vinicius retweeted the post with the caption:
"1,2,3 ... HALAMADRID!!!"
The moment was reminiscent of Ronaldo announcing his arrival in 2009 with "Uno, dos, tres (1,2,3) Hala Madrid".
One of Los Blancos' greatest ever players, the Portugal captain enjoyed a hugely successful and prolific nine-year spell at the Bernabeu, scoring a record 450 goals in 438 games and winning titles galore. They include two La Liga and four UEFA Champions League titles, among other domestic and continental honours.
What Kylian Mbappe said on his unveiling at Cristiano Ronaldo's former club Real Madrid?
Kylian Mbappe was unveiled at a packed Santiago Bernabeu with the club's all 15 UEFA Champions League trophies forming a part of the presentation. Following a long pursuit, the 25-year-old has finally arrived at the Bernabeu.
Mbappe delighted the Los Blancos faithful by addressing them in Spanish, describing it as a dream-come-true to be playing for the legandary club (as translated from Spanish)
"Good morning, everyone. I'm going to try to speak in Spanish. Wow, it's incredible to be here. I've dreamt for many years of playing for Real Madrid, and today my dream is coming true. I'm a very happy boy today. Very happy.
"Thanks to President Florentino Pérez, who has believed in me from day one. Many things have happened. And to all the people who have worked to get me here. I know it's been difficult, but I'm here, I'm a Real Madrid player, and my whole family is happy, with my mom crying," he added.
Mbappe will now look to emulate his idol Cristiano Ronaldo's sterling exploits at the club as he embarks on a new chapter of his career after a prolific spell with his former club, PSG.