Mbappe, a World Cup winner and French superstar, joins the list of so-called 'Galacticos' signed by Florentino Perez, a president who a year ago warned about his intentions and who after a long wait decided to announce the signing of the former PSG attacker on Monday afternoon.
Although Real Madrid did not pay PSG for the transfer, Mbappe's image rights and salary more than make up for the lack of a transfer fee. In recent years, Los Blancos have opted for a policy of austerity in order to secure the Frenchman's signature. With his arrival, the squad is in stellar condition, with no doubts about any of the positions on the pitch.
The Galacticos:
Luis Figo (2000 - 60 million euros)
The signing of Luis Figo came with the presidency of Perez. The Portuguese, a former Barcelona player, controversially swapped the Blaugranas colours for Real and became an idol for the Merengues fans. Figo was the first of the Galacticos.
Zinedine Zidane, Cristiano Ronaldo and David Beckham would follow in his footsteps in a glorious era for Spanish football.
Zinedine Zidane (2001 - 77 million)
Zidane's transfer began to take shape in a meeting in which he shared a table with Perez. The president asked him on a napkin if he wanted to play for Madrid, to which the Frenchman replied 'Oui'. Negotiations intensified and the signing was concluded for 77 million euros.
Ronaldo Nazario (2002 - 45 million)
After returning to the elite with Inter and winning the 2002 World Cup with Brazil, Ronaldo Nazario became the third Galactico. He landed at Real for 45 million euros. He played 177 games. He scored 103 goals and provided 35 assists. He won two LaLiga titles and a Spanish Super Cup during his time as a Real player.
David Beckham (2003 - 35 million)
The Englishman arrived at the Bernabeu after a successful spell at Manchester United. Before becoming a Real Madrid player, his entourage negotiated with Barcelona without his consent. Beckham rejected Laporta's offer, who later signed Ronaldinho from PSG.
Kaka (2009 - 65 million)
The last Brazilian Ballon d'Or, who led AC Milan to win the UEFA Champions League against Liverpool after an epic season, was a signing who failed to click at the Bernabeu due to injuries. Kaka did not find continuity at Real Madrid. However, he won LaLiga, the Copa del Rey and the Spanish Super Cup.
Cristiano Ronaldo (2009 - 94 million)
The Portuguese star left Manchester United to become a mainstay at Real Madrid. He won three Champions League titles, two LaLiga titles, Spanish Super Cups, European Super Cups, the Club World Cup and the Ballon d'Or. After nine years with the Spanish side, he sought new challenges and was transferred to Juventus.
Gareth Bale (2013 - 100 million)
The Welshman scored in the Lisbon, Milan and Kyiv Champions League finals and he was instrumental in Zidane's three Champions League wins. His departure, however, was somewhat complicated. He went on loan to Tottenham for a year and, upon his return to Madrid, won another Champions League under Carlo Ancelotti.
Eden Hazard (2019 - 100 million)
One of Perez's few gambles that didn't work out. The Belgian, who shone at Chelsea, was a signing that generated enormous expectation in Madrid. Injuries prevented him from getting the expected rhythm and he ended up retiring in 2022.
Jude Bellingham (2022 - 100 million)
The Briton, a recent winner of the Champions League and LaLiga, was signed in 2022 and adapted quickly to the demands of Real. Bellingham was instrumental in the most recent campaign. He became one of the goalscorers after the departure of Benzema and is one of the candidates for the Ballon d'Or.
