The year was 2004 and AC Milan icon Andriy Shevchenko claimed his first and only Ballon d’Or award as the then 28-year-old became Pavel Nedved’s successor after an unforgettable 2003-2004 season. Organised by France Football since 1956, the star-studded nominee list of the Ballon d’Or featured a young Cristiano Ronaldo, who finished ahead of Zlatan Ibrahimovic, Kaka, Luis Figo, David Beckham and Paolo Maldini. Manchester United’s prodigal son bagged the 12th spot in his Ballon d’Or debut. Ronaldo then went on to stage an epic rivalry with Lionel Messi as the two behemoths turned the Ballon d’Or race into a near-two-way contest at their careers’ peak.

Ballon d’Or arch-rivals Messi and Ronaldo lifted the Golden Ball a combined 13 times from the 2008 edition. Securing his first nomination in 2006, Messi sealed his first Ballon d’Or title in 2009 to kickstart his four-year streak of winning the Golden Ball. The record-time winner is also the reigning Ballon d’Or champion. Messi missed the cut in 2022 but the Argentine stalwart masterminded La Albiceleste’s third FIFA World Cup triumph in the same year to stake claim on the Ballon d’Or trophy in 2023. A year later, neither Messi nor Ronaldo have earned the Golden Ball call-up for the first time since 2003.

Changing of the guards is imminent in Paris as France Football and UEFA will crown the successor of Messi at the 2024 Ballon d’Or awards. Created by France Football magazine, UEFA and Groupe Amaury will co-organise the renowned Ballon d’Or 2024 on 28 October at the Theatre du Chatelet in Paris. First awarded to England great Stanley Matthews in 1956, legends of the beautiful game including Eusebio, Bobby Charlton, George Best, Johan Cruyff, Franz Beckenbauer, Ronaldo and Zinedine Zidane have all won lifted the famous trophy in the past. Who is next?

Mbappe vs Haaland: No podium finish for world-class strikers

Though Real Madrid’s Kylian Mbappe is featured in the top 30 list, the new galactico of Los Blancos might finish behind Man City forward Haaland. Smashing records at Etihad, Haaland finished the 2023-2024 season with a Premier League title and consecutive Golden Boot. Netting 38 goals last season, the goal machine is the quickest player in the Premier League’s history to 50 goals. Placed 18th in the list of all-time goal-getters in the history of the Champions League, Haaland is the youngest to smash 40 goals in the celebrated tournament. However, a fruitful campaign in top-flight leagues doesn’t guarantee a Golden Ball this year. Haaland failed to fire for Man City against Real Madrid while French forward Mbappe guided Paris Saint Germain (PSG) to the semi-finals of the Champions League. Free-scoring Mbappe dumped Barcelona out of the Champions League but the France captain struggled to engineer PSG’s comeback against last season’s Champions League runners-up Dortmund in the semi-finals. At the UEFA Euro, Mbappe’s France side was eliminated by eventual champions Spain in the semi-finals.

Why is Vinicius leading the Ballon d’Or race?

Vinicius had a false start in his Ballon d’Or bid last season. The Brazilian superstar was missing in action when Carlo Ancelotti-coached Madrid were desperate to crown Karim Benzema‘s heir at the Bernabeu. Regaining top form in the same injury-marred season, Real Madrid’s No.7 scored a hat-trick against Barcelona in the Spanish Super Cup final. Vinicius was also the ‘Real deal’ at the Champions League. The Los Blancos winger was instrumental in the semi-final win over Bayern Munich. Fresh from powering Real Madrid to a record-extending La Liga title, on-song Vinicius scored the winner against Borussia Dortmund in the UEFA Champions League final. In his comeback season, Vinicius netted 26 times and chipped in with 12 assists. Adding crucial titles to his Real Madrid cabinet, Vinicius made a quiet exit from the international stage. The Real Madrid superstar earned a brace against Paraguay in the Copa America group stage. Suspended from the quarter-finals against Uruguay, Vinicius was a mere spectator as the Golden Ball candidate saw Selecao bow out of the competition on penalties.

Please, make way for Rodri

Despite being the best holding midfielder in the world, why cerebral Spaniard Rodri is still not heavily tipped to win the Golden Ball this year? A serious contender for the prestigious award last year, Rodri won the treble with Pep Guardiola’s Manchester City. However, Rodri was upstaged by Erling Haaland with his 52-goal contribution in 53 games. The former Borussia Dortmund forward was second only to Messi as the FIFA World Cup 2022 winner took home his record-eighth Ballon d’Or title in 2023.

Rodri has made it to the nominee list on the back of an impressive unbeaten run with Man City. Did you know? Guardiola’s men lost all of their three matches in the Premier League last season with Rodri being suspended. The Rodri-starrer Man City side last lost a Premier League game in February 2023. The Spanish international didn’t concede a single defeat at the UEFA Champions League last season. Man City were outclassed by eventual champions Real Madrid on penalties in the quarter-finals after two thrilling draws. Labelled as the ‘perfect computer’ by Spain manager Luis de la Fuente, Rodri ended a trophy-laden season with La Roja defeating England in the UEFA Euro 2024 final. “Please, give him the Ballon d’Or now!” – what Guardiola said about Rodri, who was also named the Player of the Tournament at the Euros.

Golden Ball for ‘golden boy’ Bellingham

Just like Mbappe, playmaker Jude Bellingham was on target for Real Madrid on his debut. Assisting Real Madrid’s goal-getters Rodrygo and Vinicius throughout the season, Bellingham donned the famous No.5 jersey and boy did he do justice to Zidane’s old shirt which came with a whopping £100 million ($131m) price tag at the Santiago Bernabeu. Coining Madrid’s sucker punch against Dortmund in the Champions League final, the Englishman also propelled Los Blancos to Clasico wins over FC Barcelona in the La Liga last season. A central midfielder with his shooting boots on across competitions, Bellingham contributed 27 goals for Madrid and England. With Vinicius missing a major chunk of the 2023-2024 season through injury, Bellingham spearheaded the title bid for Los Blancos. Clutch for club and country, Bellingham produced 17 assists and headlined the UEFA Euro final. Sure a silver medal at Euros after a near-perfect season can’t cost Jude a Golden Ball?

Real Madrid face Real Betis at the Bernabeu ahead of the international break.© AFP

Spanish champions Real Madrid earned a 3-0 win over Real Valladolid in La Liga on Sunday as Kylian Mbappe made his Santiago Bernabeu bow without finding the net. Atletico Madrid comfortably beat last season’s surprise package Girona by the same scoreline later on in the capital. Madrid’s French striker Mbappe played at home for the first time in a Los Blancos shirt but was largely frustrated by Valladolid’s defence. Madrid midfielder Fede Valverde opened the scoring after 50 minutes and substitutes Brahim Diaz and debutant Endrick struck late on.

Without the injured Jude Bellingham Madrid created little in the first half but did enough after the break to earn their first win of the season, following an opening draw at Real Mallorca.

Still lacking fluency in attack, Carlo Ancelotti’s side stayed two points behind rivals Barcelona, who beat Athletic Bilbao on Saturday.

“We were too slow in the first half, the second half we were much more active, there was more movement, much faster with the ball,” said Ancelotti.

Real Valladolid set out to frustrate the champions in the summer heat and succeeded for 45 minutes.

Madrid came out with more bite in the second half and Valverde smashed home a vicious low free-kick with the help of a deflection to break the deadlock.

Endrick arrives

Mbappe blew a golden opportunity to get off the mark when Vinicius cut the ball across to him, but Estonian goalkeeper Karl Hein saved well.

The France captain had another chance on the counter-attack but fired  wide before being replaced by 18-year-old Brazilian forward Endrick.

Mbappe scored on his debut in a UEFA Super Cup triumph but in La Liga, has failed to score in his opening two matches.

“He’s a spectacular forward, very fast, moves well without the ball, attacks in behind, he had three or four chances (which were) created with his movement,” said Ancelotti.

“In this position, he will score like he always scores, I don’t think he needs to play from the left, in the centre in the end he will score goals.”

Diaz secured Madrid’s win with a neat lobbed finish and then teed up Endrick, who drilled home at the near post to celebrate his first appearance for the club in style.

“(Endrick) has got a lot of potential and for his goal he showed his quality,” added Ancelotti.

“He’s a centre-forward who plays in the box, in small spaces he’s very dangerous.”

Madrid signed Endrick from Palmeiras in 2022 but he arrived this summer, once old enough to move.

Atletico on song

Antoine Griezmann, Marcos Llorente and Koke‘s strikes helped Diego Simeone’s Atletico claim their first win of the campaign against Girona.

Julian Alvarez started for the Rojiblancos at their Metropolitano stadium while new arrival Conor Gallagher made his debut as a substitute after joining from Chelsea.

“The fans were really excited for this one, playing at home for the first time in some time, with new signings — a perfect night,” said Griezmann.

The hosts had control of the game as Michel Sanchez’s Girona, who finished third ahead of fourth-place Atletico last term, struggled to make an impact.

Griezmann put Atletico ahead shortly before the interval with a hard and low free-kick which caught goalkeeper Paulo Gazzaniga out.

Llorente increased the lead early in the second half with a thunderbolt from outside the area which flashed into the roof of the net.

Girona, who lost several key players in the summer,  have only one point from their first two matches.

Koke wrapped up Atletico’s win on the counter-attack in stoppage time when Llorente put the ball on a plate for him to finish.

“It’s a process, the season is long but we want to get to our best version as soon as we can,” said Girona midfielder Oriol Romeu.

Spanish champions Real Madrid earned a 3-0 win over Real Valladolid in La Liga on Sunday as Kylian Mbappe made his Santiago Bernabeu bow without finding the net. The French striker played at home for the first time in a Madrid shirt but was largely frustrated by Valladolid’s defence. Madrid midfielder Fede Valverde opened the scoring with a low deflected free-kick after 50 minutes and substitutes Brahim Diaz and debutant Endrick struck late on.

Madrid created little in the first half but did enough after the break to earn their first win of the season, following an opening draw at Real Mallorca.

Still lacking fluency in attack, Carlo Ancelotti’s side stayed two points behind rivals Barcelona, who beat Athletic Bilbao on Saturday.

Ancelotti brought in Arda Guler for the injured Jude Bellingham, expected to miss a month with a calf problem.

Real Valladolid were the only team in the division to keep a clean sheet in their opening fixture and from the start they set out to frustrate the champions.

Darwin Machis had a deflected effort whistle narrowly wide but otherwise it was all hands to the pump in defence for the visitors.

Aurelien Tchouameni fired over from long range as Madrid dominated possession without threatening in the Spanish capital’s summer heat.

Madrid came out with more bite in the second half and soon took the lead.

Valverde smashed home a vicious low free-kick with the help of a deflection to break the deadlock.

Madrid should have doubled their lead but Rodrygo misplaced his pass with Vinicius waiting in the middle ready to score.

Mbappe blew a golden opportunity to get off the mark when Vinicius cut the ball across to him, but Estonian goalkeeper Karl Hein saved well.

The France captain had another chance on the counter-attack but fired well wide before being replaced by 18-year-old Brazilian forward Endrick.

Mbappe made his dream switch to Madrid this summer at the end of his Paris Saint-Germain contract after years of links. He scored on his debut in a UEFA Super Cup triumph.

In La Liga, Mbappe has failed to score in his opening two matches as Ancelotti works on perfecting his set-up to get the best from the club’s attacking stars.

Diaz secured Madrid’s win with a neat lobbed finish after running on to a long ball from defender Eder Militao in the 88th minute.

In stoppage time the Spanish playmaker teed up Endrick who drilled home at the near post to celebrate his first appearance for the club in style.

Later Sunday Atletico Madrid host last season’s surprise package Girona among other fixtures.

Paris Saint-Germain coach Luis Enrique said his side had achieved “perfection” after thrashing Montpellier 6-0 on Friday to continue their strong start to life without Kylian Mbappe. Bradley Barcola scored twice while Marco Asensio, Achraf Hakimi, Warren Zaire-Emery and Lee Kang-in were also on target at the Parc des Princes for PSG. The reigning Ligue 1 champions have now found the net 10 times in total while winning their opening two games of the season, suggesting the future is bright without departed star Mbappe.

“It was a perfect night,” Luis Enrique said.

“We had 16 stars tonight, all the players who took part. Sixteen stars in attack and in defence, that is perfection, and that is what we are looking for.”

PSG’s young team, featuring two teenagers in the starting line-up and a total of eight players aged between 18 and 25, played with verve and style, albeit against limited opposition.

There was a first start for 19-year-old Portugal midfielder Joao Neves, a close-season recruit from Benfica for a fee that could eventually reach 69.9 million euros ($78.2m).

Meanwhile Desire Doue, also 19 and a member of the France team that recently won Olympic silver, came on as a second-half substitute for his debut after joining from Rennes for an initial 50 million euros.

“I think in two games you can already see the profile of the players we have brought in,” added PSG’s Spanish coach.

“They are totally suited to our way of playing and I think they will all bring us a lot.”

He continued: “I am enjoying every training session with a very complete and versatile squad and players who are really eager to make history.”

PSG scored three late goals to win 4-1 at Le Havre last week as they began their defence of the title, but their performance here was far more accomplished and suggests they will take some beating as they chase an 11th French title in 13 seasons.

That is despite losing their all-time top scorer in Mbappe, but their overwhelming superiority compared to the opposition in Ligue 1 cannot be forgotten.

While PSG — backed by their Qatari owners — have spent 175 million euros in the summer transfer window, not including bonuses, on four new players, Montpellier have not signed anyone.

Financial gulf

Handicapped by the collapse in income following the agreement of a new, knockdown domestic broadcast deal, Montpellier will get just seven million euros from television this season, their president Laurent Nicollin told sports daily L’Equipe on Friday.

“They were much stronger than us and dominated from beginning to end,” said Montpellier coach Michel Der Zakarian.

The financial gulf makes it practically impossible for Montpellier to compete and they fell behind inside four minutes when Barcola, coming in from the left, scored with a first-time toe-poke finish.

The second goal just past the midway point in the first half was a joy, as Barcola played a ball in from the left for Neves and his cushioned lay-off set up Asensio to fire in.

The third goal arrived eight minutes into the second half and was of similar quality, Asensio releasing Ousmane Dembele on the right before he raced away and squared for Barcola to tap in.

It was 5-0 by the hour mark, with Nuno Mendes crossing from the left to the far post where Hakimi scored with a sidefoot volley, and Zaire-Emery nutmegging Kiki Kouyate in the box before finishing.

Lee, on from the bench after being dropped from the starting line-up, smacked in the sixth from the edge of the area on 82 minutes.

It is the second time PSG have scored six goals in a Ligue 1 game since Luis Enrique became coach just over a year ago — the other was in a 6-2 win at Montpellier in March.

Saturday’s action in France sees Lyon host last season’s runners-up Monaco before Lille meet Angers and Saint-Etienne play Le Havre.

Roberto De Zerbi’s Marseille, 5-1 winners at Brest on the opening weekend, are at home to Reims on Sunday.

Kylian Mbappe‘s La Liga debut for Real Madrid did not go as planned as Los Blancos drew at Mallorca last weekend, with coach Carlo Ancelotti believing the Spanish champions lacked “balance”. The French superstar striker will make his first home appearance for Los Blancos at the Santiago Bernabeu on Sunday against promoted side Real Valladolid, owned by former Madrid forward and Brazil great Ronaldo.

Mbappe is on course to enjoy a similarly sizable legacy in football, but is hoping to make a far greater impact at Madrid than Ronaldo was able to, during the club’s ‘galactico’ era.

Ronaldo won just one La Liga title and failed to lift the Champions League during five seasons in the Spanish capital between 2002-07.

One of the biggest problems during that period was a top-heavy side which boasted several superstar attackers but lost lynchpin Claude Makelele.

Ancelotti has lined up with Mbappe, Vinicius Junior, Rodrygo Goes and Jude Bellingham in the 2-0 UEFA Super Cup win over Atalanta and the 1-1 Mallorca draw, but criticised his team’s balance after both matches

“We just had to do better, with more attitude, you can learn from these games – it’s clear where the problem is,” Ancelotti told reporters last week.

“We need to defend better, we need more balance.”

One issue for Madrid is that Mbappe, Vinicius and Rodrygo all prefer to be shifted towards the left flank.

Another is that by playing all three forwards, Bellingham is pushed back into a midfield role, when it seems after last season’s superb debut campaign where he helped Madrid win La Liga and the Champions League, he is most content contributing in attacking areas.

“(Balance) is found by all players thinking the same thing – when it comes to getting the ball back we all have to think about it together,” continued the Italian coach.

“It’s a team problem that they didn’t understand was a key aspect in this game, Mallorca played a great game in a defensive sense, better than us.”

While visitors Real Valladolid, who beat fellow promoted side Espanyol in their first match, do not pose too much threat to Madrid on paper, the sooner Ancelotti can get his team firing on all cylinders the happier he will be.

After years of links to Madrid, Mbappe completed his dream move this summer at the end of his Paris Saint-Germain contract.

The forward clinically struck against Atalanta in Warsaw but was shut out by Mallorca and their goalkeeper Dominik Greif.

Mbappe will hope to mark his first Bernabeu appearance for Madrid with a goal, weeks after he was greeted there by over 80,000 fans at his presentation.

Once Madrid’s forwards are on song, they will be difficult for any side to stop.

“When I saw them running towards me, I just prayed to God and asked myself — ‘what am I doing here?'” admitted Mallorca defender Pablo Maffeo.

Madrid’s remarkable firepower could prove a double-edged sword with teams rising to the challenge of stopping the attacking quartet dubbed the “fantastic four”.

“We’re going to face the best team in the world, with one of the best coaches in history and the best attack in the world today,” said Valladolid coach Paulo Pezzolano.

“We know what we’re going to face, but we’re going there convinced that we’re going to compete and bring something back home, knowing that it’s difficult, but that we can do it.”

Player to watch: Julian Alvarez

The former Manchester City striker made his Atletico debut as a substitute at Villarreal in their opening fixture but could be given a bigger role against Girona on Sunday as he makes his first appearance at the Metropolitano stadium for Diego Simeone’s new-look Rojiblancos.

Key stats

0 – Real Valladolid were the only team in La Liga not to concede a goal in the opening round of fixtures

2 – With a brace against Valencia, Robert Lewandowski is the division’s top scorer

17 – French players appeared in week one, the most represented nationality behind 285 Spaniards

Fixtures

Friday (all times GMT)

Celta Vigo v Valencia (1700), Sevilla v Villarreal (1930)

Saturday

Osasuna v Real Malloca (1500), Barcelona v Athletic Bilbao (1700), Espanyol v Real Sociedad, Getafe v Rayo Vallecano (both 1930)

Sunday

Real Madrid v Real Valladolid (1500), Leganes v Las Palmas (1700), Alaves v Real Betis (1715), Atletico Madrid v Girona (1930)

Kylian Mbappe in action© AFP

Paris Saint-Germain began their defence of the Ligue 1 title with a 4-1 win at Le Havre on Friday in their first competitive game since the departure of talisman Kylian Mbappe to Real Madrid.

Lee Kang-in gave PSG the lead inside three minutes in Normandy only for Gautier Lloris to equalise, but late goals by Ousmane Dembele, Bradley Barcola and a Randal Kolo Muani penalty sealed the victory for the reigning French champions.

It was a comfortable win in the end for Luis Enrique’s team, with their substitutes ultimately making the difference as PSG’s strength in depth proved too much for a team who only just avoided relegation last season.

“It is the first game back and it’s a very good start,” said PSG’s Spanish coach.

The French international trio of Kolo Muani, Dembele and Barcola all began the game on the bench, while Portugal midfielder Joao Neves came on at half-time for his debut after joining from Benfica for a fee that could reach 69.9 million euros ($76.7m) including bonuses.

Yet Le Havre will wonder what might have been had a Josue Casimir goal — which would have put them in front early in the second half — not been disallowed by VAR for a handball.

“We had highs and lows, but the substitutes did a lot of good for us,” added Luis Enrique.

“The final score disguises the fact that there are things to improve upon. We gave away lots of easy balls and had we gone 2-1 down that might have changed everything.”

PSG have not made any marquee signings to fill the enormous void left by Mbappe, who departed for Madrid in June after scoring 44 goals last season and registering a club-record 256 across his seven years at the club.

It is yet to be found out if Luis Enrique’s team can repeat their performances of the last campaign, when they swept all the domestic honours and reached the semi-finals of the Champions League.

The Spanish coach was without several regulars here, with left-back Nuno Mendes suspended while Fabian Ruiz is not yet ready to return after helping Spain win Euro 2024.

Late goals

There was a debut on the left wing for Ibrahim Mbaye, who is only 16 and was one of three teenagers in PSG’s starting line-up alongside Yoram Zague and Warren Zaire-Emery, both 18.

South Korea star Lee opened the scoring when he collected a Goncalo Ramos pass on the right wing before sending a shot into the far corner with the aid of a deflection.

However, the visitors were then dealt a blow as Ramos was forced off with an ankle injury, and his replacement Kolo Muani then sent a header crashing back off the bar.

Le Havre, in their first game under new coach Didier Digard, improved as the game went on and Abdoulaye Toure had a goal disallowed for offside just before the half-hour mark.

They were level three minutes into the second half when Lloris, the brother of former France captain Hugo, turned in Christopher Operi’s free-kick.

The hosts then thought they had taken the lead on 53 minutes when skipper Casimir ran through to score, but VAR ruled his effort out after a long check for a handball.

Lee struck the frame of the goal before Dembele, who had been sent on for the final 20 minutes, gave PSG the advantage again on 85 minutes with a header from a Neves cross.

Barcola curled in a superb third a minute later, and Kolo Muani then won and converted the late penalty which wrapped up the win for the visitors at the Stade Oceane.

Last season’s runners-up Monaco face Saint-Etienne on Saturday, while Roberto De Zerbi’s first game in charge of Marseille will be away to Brest, who surprisingly finished third in the last campaign.

Paris Saint-Germain are beginning a new era following the departure of Kylian Mbappe and the reigning French champions have so far kept a low profile as they prepare for life without the superstar forward. Mbappe moved to Real Madrid when his contract expired in June, ending a prolific seven-year association with the Qatar-owned club in which he struck a remarkable 256 goals to become their all-time top scorer. The France captain therefore leaves an enormous void, so big that PSG appear to have decided there is no one player who could possibly fill it adequately.

Coach Luis Enrique takes his team to Normandy to face Le Havre on Friday on the opening night of the new Ligue 1 campaign without any glitzy new signing having arrived to directly replace Mbappe.

PSG have nevertheless spent money in Europe’s summer transfer window, and they may still move for a top-class striker before the deadline at the end of the month.

Napoli’s Victor Osimhen, who previously starred in Ligue 1 for Lille, has been linked with a move to the French capital, although it is unclear whether he would fit in with Luis Enrique’s preferred style of football.

For now, though, PSG’s efforts in the transfer market have been focused elsewhere, with an estimated 125 million euros ($132.2m) invested on three players.

Nineteen-year-old Portuguese midfield prodigy Joao Neves, who appeared for his country at Euro 2024, has arrived from Benfica for 59.9 million euros, a fee which could rise by 10 million euros when bonuses are factored in.

The defence has been strengthened with the recruitment of Ecuador centre-back Willian Pacho, 22, from Eintracht Frankfurt for up to 45 million euros.

PSG’s first summer signing was the Russian goalkeeper Matvey Safonov, 25, from Krasnodar in his homeland for a reported 20 million euros. He will provide competition for first-choice custodian Gianluigi Donnarumma.

Irreplaceable

Meanwhile, Mbappe apart, the Parisians have kept hold of the spine of their team from last season and have also incorporated teenage Brazilian midfielder Gabriel Moscardo after signing him from Corinthians in January but allowing him to stay there on loan for six more months.

French international wingers Ousmane Dembele and Bradley Barcola will be expected to build on impressive performances last season, while the hope is that Randal Kolo Muani and Goncalo Ramos — scorers of 23 goals between them in the last campaign — will step up to help fans forget Mbappe.

The days of signing veteran stars like Lionel Messi and Sergio Ramos are a thing of the past, and captain Marquinhos, 30, is likely to be the oldest member of the starting line-up this season.

The only really glamorous name to pose with a PSG shirt alongside president Nasser al-Khelaifi this summer has been NBA star Kevin Durant, who has invested in the club.

“He is obviously a different player and we can’t replace him with one single player. Forget it. There is no substitute for Kylian Mbappe,” Luis Enrique admitted in May, just after his team finished the season by defeating Lyon in the French Cup final to complete a domestic double.

“We will need to replace him with the team as a whole, and with maybe four, five or six new signings.”

PSG’s transfer business is surely not over yet, but for now they will ease themselves back into the season.

It is not just in the market that PSG have kept a low profile, for they have also had a quiet pre-season.

There has been no energy-sapping summer tour to the United States or Asia, with Luis Enrique instead keeping his squad at their training base outside Paris.

They have played just two friendly matches, drawing away to Austrian champions Sturm Graz and RB Leipzig in Germany.

Luis Enrique perhaps saw little point in playing too many games given so many of his players returned to training late after being involved at Euro 2024, the Copa America or the Olympics.

The aim will be to get his side in peak condition by the time the Champions League begins in September, by which time a new attacking option may have been added.

Kylian Mbappe enjoyed a “great night” as he struck on his Real Madrid debut to help his new side claim a record sixth UEFA Super Cup with a 2-0 win over Atalanta on Wednesday in Warsaw. The superstar French forward has waited years to play for his dream club and after finally signing for Los Blancos this summer at the end of his Paris Saint-Germain deal, celebrated his first appearance with a goal. Fede Valverde broke the deadlock from close range for the Champions League holders in the 59th minute after the Italian Europa League winners held their own in the first half.

Madrid began to rack up the chances and Mbappe rifled home in the 68th minute after Jude Bellingham spotted his dart into space in the box to seal the victory.

“It was a great night, I’ve been waiting for this moment for a long time, to play with this shirt, with this badge, for these fans,” Mbappe told Movistar, speaking in fluent Spanish.

Madrid’s triumph ensured coach Carlo Ancelotti equalled former Los Blancos coach Miguel Munoz on a joint-record 14 titles won at the helm of the club.

The Italian’s first task this season is designing a system that can get the best out of his array of attacking stars.

Mbappe began through the middle of Madrid’s forward line, flanked by Vinicius Junior on the left and Rodrygo Goes on the right, in the first look at how he might fit into Ancelotti’s plans this season.

As a result England international Bellingham played as part of the midfield trio rather than in the advanced position he began last season in to such devastating goalscoring effect.

“(Mbappe) has the quality to score a lot of goals,” Ancelotti told Movistar.

“What we have to look for is balance in the team — today we didn’t have that balance.”

Mbappe’s only chance in a tight first half arrived in the 15th minute but his shot from the middle of the box was well blocked by Isak Hien.

Gian Piero Gasperini’s Atalanta, appearing in their first Super Cup after stunning Bayer Leverkusen in the Europa League final last season, came close to taking the lead when Eder Militao headed Marten de Roon’s cross ahead his own bar.

Bellingham was booked for a late challenge on Atalanta goalkeeper Juan Musso on a foray forward from midfield after taking a heavy touch to control a clever ball from Vinicius.

Rodrygo clipped the top of Atalanta’s crossbar just before the break after being teed up by Vinicius.

Madrid stopper Thibaut Courtois, who missed most of last season injured, produced a stunning one-handed save to tip over a Mario Pasalic header at the start of the second half.

Madrid broke the deadlock before the hour mark through Valverde, tapping home from close range while Atalanta’s defence worried about Mbappe, who was moving with more freedom.

Bellingham, increasingly influential, fed Vinicius, who cut the ball across goal for the Uruguayan midfielder to tap home.

Valverde, wearing the number eight shirt vacated by Toni Kroos who retired this summer, said he was “tremendously proud”.

“It’s motivating to inherit the number of a player I admire a lot, I dedicate the goal to him and to my wife,” said Valverde.

Vinicius should have doubled Madrid’s lead when sent through on goal but Musso tipped over his effort.

Swedish defender Hien blocked from Bellingham as Madrid sought a second and then Musso thwarted the former Borussia Dortmund man.

Mbappe eventually delivered it with a lethal finish after Bellingham, named player of the match, kept an attack alive and spotted the Frenchman’s clever movement.

The 25-year-old striker was given an ovation by Madrid’s fans after Ancelotti brought him off in the 83rd minute, likely the first of many.

Mbappe said that he expected to improve in the weeks ahead, with Madrid’s La Liga campaign starting on Saturday against Real Mallorca.

“I am sure we will get better and me first of all — but today is a positive step,” added the striker.

Rodrygo said Ancelotti had told the forwards to shift their positions frequently, something evident in the second half.

“The coach asked us to go changing positions a lot, or staying apart,” the Brazilian told Movistar.

“They were man marking, so we had to move and that’s what happened during the game.”