Kylian Mbappe’s Real Madrid Career Simulated

While the summer transfer window has the potential to throw up some huge deals, it feels as if the biggest move of 2024 has already been announced. Kylian Mbappe has agreed a sensational switch to Real Madrid, with the Champions League winners bolstering their already stacked squad by signing one of the best players in the world.

A deal between the two parties has been on the cards for some time now, as Los Blancos’ interest in the 25-year-old goes back several years. There have been multiple obstacles which have prevented a move from happening sooner, but now that it is done, it feels as if a new era of dominance in Europe is beginning.

Mbappe joining up with Jude Bellingham, Vinicius Junior, Federico Valverde, Rodrygo and many other world-class talents means that Madrid will be heavy favourites to win most competitions they partake in for years to come. But just how much could the Frenchman win during his years in Spain?

In an attempt to find that out, Mbappe’s Real Madrid career has been simulated by The Athletic on Football Manager 24. And if his actual career at the La Liga giants pans out in a similar way, the former Paris Saint-Germain striker will be very happy indeed.

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Mbappe Wins League Title in First Four Seasons

But no Champions League glory

Heading into his first year as a Madrid player on FM, Mbappe gets off to a flying start. Scoring 28 goals in all competitions for his new team, Los Blancos comfortably won the league by 17 points, while also lifting the Copa del Rey and the Spanish Super Cup. However, they were knocked out of the Champions League in the Round of 16 by RB Leipzig.

And it proved to be a similar story in year two. Once again, Madrid got their hands on the same three trophies, but were not successful in the Champions League. This time, there was the added heartache of losing 2-0 in the final to rivals Barcelona. They also finished as runners-up in the Club World Cup, losing the final to Manchester City.

Season three proved to be a step backwards for the 15-time Champions League winners and Mbappe. They opted to sign Arnaut Danjuma in the simulation for £45m, something which might raise eyebrows among Everton supporters. The Dutchman only started once in the league for Madrid as they collected the league title once again, but they lost out in the Copa del Rey, Spanish Super Cup, and Champions League once again. Considering the team contains some of the best players in the world, winning just one trophy feels like a disappointing year.

Borussia Dortmund’s Julian Ryerson and Chelsea’s Benoit Badiashile were signed in year four, but once again, Madrid fell short of their Champions League goal. A quarter-final elimination at the hands of Arsenal ensured Ancelotti’s squad missed out on European glory, while Mbappe’s 30 goals only proved to be enough for another La Liga title. Elche were Madrid’s downfall in the fourth round of the Spanish Cup, while they were only good enough to be runners-up in the Super Cup.

Champions League Heartbreak Continues For Another Three Years

Mbappe secures a first golden boot in his fifth season

Years five to seven would see Mbappe continue to win trophies in abundance for his side. Well, all except one. His fifth season at the Bernabeu ultimately ended trophyless, the first time that has happened in the simulation. Barcelona finished top of La Liga to end Madrid’s dominance, while Bayern Munich knocked them out of the Champions League quarter-finals. Mbappe did win the La Liga golden boot, however, sharing the individual honour with Atletico Madrid’s Victor Gyokeres.

The French international’s sixth season in Madrid saw the club return to their impressive ways, though. After signing Tyrick Mitchell and Joe Gomez the season prior, Los Blancos then brought Ibrahima Konate to the club, doubling down on Liverpool centre-backs. That proved to be something of a winning formula, as they won the league title, the Club World Cup, the Copa del Rey, and Spanish Super Cup. Yet again, though, no Champions League glory for Mbappe.

The sixth year at the club would be Carlo Ancelotti’s final year in the Real dugout. Mbappe’s new boss in year seven would prove to be Liverpool legend Jurgen Klopp, with the most incredible storyline playing out in the Champions League. Madrid, having won La Liga and the Spanish Cup yet again, faced Liverpool in the final of the competition. But it was the Reds who won the final, beating Mbappe’s side 3-1 and getting the ultimate revenge for their 2018 European Cup heartache.

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Back-to-Back Champions Leagues in Years Eight and Nine

Second triumph marred by injury

Extending his deal at the Bernabeu by another year in the simulation, Mbappe’s patience would finally pay off on the European stage. Securing yet another La Liga trophy with 100 points, Madrid would finally get their hands on the Champions League trophy, beating Manchester City in the final. Also winning the Copa del Rey once again to complete the treble, it’s just surprising it took this super team so long.

The following year proved to be a decent one for Mbappe in terms of trophies, but less impressive from an individual standpoint. Madrid won the Champions League yet again in his ninth year at the club, as well as La Liga and the UEFA Super Cup, but the French striker missed three months of the season through injury and failed to play in the Champions League final. Despite that, he still finished the year with 15 goals and 10 assists. Not bad for a 33-year-old.

Mbappe Retires After 11 years at the Club

French international turns down move in 10th year

Now in the twilight years of his career, Mbappe’s 10th year as a Madrid player was once again full of trophies. 100 points in La Liga secured another division title, while they also lifted the Spanish Cup, Spanish Super Cup, and Club World Cup. There was, however, no glory in the Champions League.

Playing just 28 games in all competitions, Mbappe still managed to score 16 goals. But the signs of the end were becoming clear as he turned down an offer to move to the Saudi Pro League. With Madrid willing to part ways, it seemed like it was only a matter of time until retirement.

That would ultimately come in his 11th and final year at the Bernabeu. Making 22 appearances in 2033/34, Mbappe decided to hang up his boots at 35. He would, however, end his football career with another league title, although there was no glory in any of the cup competitions.

Mbappe’s Real Madrid Career Summarised

Striker won 25 trophies in simulation

As a whole, Mbappe did manage to lift a total of 25 trophies during his 11-year stay in Spain. Although he won La Liga in all but one of his seasons, he only managed to win two Champions League trophies, perhaps not as many as some might have expected. Man City won Europe’s most prestigious competition the most during those 11 years, lifting the trophy four times.

The one major honour he failed to win while at the club, though, was the Ballon d’Or. Vinicius Jr lifted the famous gong twice during Mbappe’s simulated career at the club, while Jude Bellingham, Phil Foden, Bukayo Saka and Gabriel Martinelli also all won the award in the simulation. The best Mbappe could muster was a third-placed finish in 2031. That will come as a surprise to many, especially as it’s widely expected that he will win the honour at some point in his career.

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Output was, as is to be expected, ludicrously high during the sim. Mbappe played 515 games in the FM save, scoring 268 goals and registering 112 assists. If he finished on that number by the time he leaves Madrid in real life, he will be the club’s fifth-highest goalscorer of all time, behind only Cristiano Ronaldo, Karim Benzema, Raul and Alfredo di Stefano.

All things considered, if Mbappe was to win as much in reality as he did in Football Manager, it would certainly be regarded by many as a success. A few things might have evaded him during the simulation, but who is to say that he won’t be even more impactful now that he is a Real Madrid player? Only time will tell.