The signing owed much to the extraordinarily assiduous work of Juni Calafat, Madrid’s head scout whose influence extends way beyond that relatively modest title. The Brazilian has implemented the bold and successful policy of pursuing some of the world’s most precocious talents and not least from his homeland.
And so the rest of football will face a new dynasty; a new kindergarten version of the ‘galacticos’ and while Mbappe will immediately become the jewel in that line-up he will have to not only work hard to outshine the others but, at 25, is already one of the older players.
There is Bellingham at 20, Endrick at (soon-to-be) 18, Arda Guler 19, Eduardo Camavinga 21, Vinicius and Rodrygo both 23, Aurelien Tchouameni and Brahim Diaz both 24, and Fede Valverde at 25. These are players with their best years ahead of them but already – bar Endrick – Champions League winners.