In the FIFA Club World Cup final, Mbappe, Vinicius Jr and Bellingham created a perfect combination to score the goal that put Real Madrid ahead against Pachuca. It took just 5 seconds, 7 touches and 2 passes for the trio to show their understanding and class.
Bellingham was the instigator, sending a crisp pass to Vinicius. The Brazilian then expertly dribbled past the goalkeeper before setting up Mbappe for a goal. This was exactly the image that president Florentino Perez envisioned when he built the new Galacticos squad with the arrival of Mbappe last summer.
Real Madrid have been chasing Mbappe for around six years and finally agreed a free transfer when his contract with Paris Saint-Germain ended. Despite the huge cost, including a salary of around €15m per season and a signing bonus of €100m, president Perez was determined to make the deal happen.
Los Blancos are considering increasing Bellingham and Vinicius Jr's wages to match that level, as they did in the Galacticos 1.0 era two decades ago with Luis Figo, Zinedine Zidane, David Beckham and Raul. Currently, Vinicius and Bellingham are reported to have a net income of around €10m/season.
With the arrival of Mbappe, along with Vinicius Jr and Bellingham, Real Madrid hopes to create a formidable attacking trio, continuing the legacy that Cristiano Ronaldo, Kaka, Gareth Bale and Karim Benzema left in the Galacticos 2.0 era.
Despite being considered a complete player, Mbappe's start at Real Madrid has not been smooth. Difficulties in integrating into Carlo Ancelotti's system have prevented him from reaching his best form. The French superstar suffered a series of goalscoring droughts at the beginning of the season and also missed several important penalties.
However, the 2018 World Cup winner remains positive, determined to improve and try to give himself the best possible foundation in Madrid. The 26-year-old striker is captain of the French national team but asked for leave to attend FIFA Days in September. Mbappe felt he needed time off after a busy year and the turmoil at his new club.
In contrast to Mbappe, Vinicius Jr. has maintained his excellent form this season. The Brazilian star has scored 13 goals and made 7 assists in 20 games. The 24-year-old striker not only leads the attack but also plays an important role in helping Mbappe integrate.
Despite the disappointment of missing out on the 2024 Ballon d'Or, Vinicius quickly recovered and established himself as a key player for Real Madrid. Since then, he has scored 6 goals in 6 games for the "White Vultures" and won his 14th title in less than 7 full seasons at Real Madrid. In addition, Vinicius was also named the best male player of the year at FIFA The Best.
Alongside Vinicius' impressive form, Jude Bellingham has also shown a strong comeback after a poor start to the season. The English midfielder has faced criticism following England's failure at EURO 2024. The situation has worsened as the 2003-born star has suffered a persistent shoulder injury.
But since November, Bellingham has rediscovered his form from last season and has become a major influence in the team's attack. The 21-year-old has scored in six consecutive games, the best run of his career.
Despite an imperfect start, the combination of Mbappe, Vinicius Jr and Bellingham is getting better and better. Captain Carlo Ancelotti still has great faith in them and believes that this combination will bring success to Real Madrid in both La Liga and the Champions League this season.
After 18 matches in La Liga, the Santiago de Bernabeu team is only 1 point behind Atletico Madrid and 2 points ahead of Barcelona. With the "MVB" trio gradually being completed, the Royal team promises to play explosively in the second phase of the season and become the hope for a new glorious chapter for Real Madrid.
