Real Madrid's star player, Mbappe, secures victory over Osasuna in the first match of La Liga competition.
Real Madrid Kick Off New Season with Mbappé's Penalty Goal
Real Madrid began their 2025-26 La Liga campaign with a hard-fought 1-0 victory over Osasuna at the Santiago Bernabéu. Kylian Mbappé, the European Golden Shoe winner from last season, scored the decisive goal six minutes after halftime, converting a penalty after being fouled by Cruz.
The French international, who now wears the iconic No. 10 shirt, previously held by Luka Modric, continued his impressive form, scoring multiple goals in La Liga early in the season. Mbappé's new number aligns with his long-standing number at the French national team, potentially reinforcing his identity and confidence.
Madrid's victory marks their unbeaten start in opening league fixtures since 2008. The hosts, who finished ninth in the previous season, posed a challenge for Madrid, with Osasuna mainly limited to long-range efforts in the first half. Osasuna goalkeeper Sergio Herrera made saves on attempts by Mbappé and Vinicius Junior in the first half.
Dean Huijsen and Alvaro Carreras were other summer arrivals for Madrid and were included in the starting line-up. Trent Alexander-Arnold, a former Liverpool player, made his La Liga debut for Madrid after his move. Dani Carvajal, a Spain international, made his first league appearance since October after recovering from a long-term knee injury, coming off the bench to replace Trent Alexander-Arnold in the second half.
Madrid had a shortened pre-season due to their run to the Club World Cup semi-finals in July. They were without England midfielder Jude Bellingham, who is expected to be sidelined until October due to a shoulder operation. Osasuna finished the match with 10 men after Abel Bretones was sent off for throwing an arm to block the run of Gonzalo Garcia in stoppage time.
Franco Mastantuono made his debut for Madrid midway through the second half, but was denied a goal by Herrera late in the game. New manager Carlo Ancelotti expressed his admiration for Mbappé's desire to improve and inspire his teammates. Madrid are aiming to move past a disappointing end to the previous Carlo Ancelotti era, having lost both their domestic and European titles last season.
[1] Real Madrid confirm Mbappé's number change: https://www.realmadrid.com/en/news/2025/07/real-madrid-cfc-announce-kylian-mbappes-new-shirt-number [2] Mbappé embraces new number at Real Madrid: https://www.marca.com/en/football/real-madrid/2025/07/25/5f0b08c922600085238b464d.html [3] Mbappé's historic debut season at Real Madrid: https://www.goal.com/en-us/news/mbappe-breaks-real-madrid-scoring-record-during-debut-season/blt3c634c2b7e5950d9 [4] Mbappé's strong start to the 2025-26 season: https://www.marca.com/en/football/real-madrid/2025/09/01/5f0e6d0722600085238b464d.html [5] Mbappé's social media acknowledgement of new number: https://twitter.com/KMbappe/status/1563727867087221760
Read also:
- Weekly happenings in the German Federal Parliament (Bundestag)
- Southwest region's most popular posts, accompanied by an inquiry:
- Discussion between Putin and Trump in Alaska could potentially overshadow Ukraine's concerns
- Massive 8.8 earthquake hits off the coast of Russia's Kamchatka Peninsula, prompting Japan to issue a tsunami alert.
