Kylian Mbappe ends illness woes with winning Club World Cup bow

Kylian Mbappe returned to the pitch in style on Tuesday night, shaking off a nagging illness to make his long-awaited Club World Cup debut as Real Madrid eased past Juventus 2-0 in the last-16.

Kylian Mbappe inspires confident Real Madrid display

The France captain, sidelined for ten days with a respiratory infection, looked sharp from the opening whistle. Positioned on the left of Carlo Ancelotti’s fluid front three, he forced Wojciech Szczęsny into an early save and later drew the foul that enabled Vinícius Júnior to break the deadlock. “It’s been a difficult period,” Mbappe admitted to club media. “When your body says stop, you have to listen. Tonight I could finally help my teammates again.”

Sharp touches highlight Club World Cup ambition

Though he did not find the net, the 25-year-old registered three key passes and completed all five of his dribbles before being withdrawn on 75 minutes to a standing ovation. Ancelotti praised his star forward’s professionalism: “Even when he couldn’t train, he was in every meeting, studying Juventus’ back line. That attitude lifts the entire squad.”

Fitness boost ahead of packed schedule

Madrid face Borussia Dortmund in Saturday’s quarter-final, then resume La Liga duties against Valencia next week. Medical staff report no relapse symptoms, and Mbappe insisted he feels “100 percent ready” for the challenges ahead. With Jude Bellingham still nursing an ankle knock, the timing of his return could not be better.

Opinion

A measured, intelligent performance shows Mbappe is learning to manage his body for the long haul—a scary prospect for opponents who already struggle to contain him.