Mbappe recently gave an exclusive interview to José Félix Díaz, editor-in-chief of AS, at Real Madrid's training facility. This is the French striker's first interview with a Spanish newspaper since joining Real Madrid. The two had an in-depth conversation. In the opening part of this exclusive interview, Mbappe discussed his dream of joining Real Madrid, his life and peace of mind in Madrid, the magic and pressure of playing at the Bernabéu, and his relationship with Florentino.

Journalist: Kylian, first of all, thank you very much. You've been here two years and a few months now. When the boy who once dreamed of playing happily at Real Madrid finally arrived, has everything been as you hoped?

Mbappe: Yes, exactly as I hoped. Because what I expected was the best club in the world, and I expected the immense passion of the Merengues and everyone here. I think I had a certain status before I arrived, but I believe when you become a Real Madrid player, you always step into a different level, a higher level. I think if you want to leave a mark on football history, you have to play for Real Madrid.

Journalist: Is that something you feel?

Mbappe: Yes, 100%, 100%. What I've experienced has been completely up to my expectations. All of this—playing at the Bernabéu every week is a privilege, receiving tremendous support from the fans, and the support I've felt in Spain, which I didn't expect—the love this country has shown me. I love living here, I love being here. This is the first time I've left my home country, so it's an important moment in my life, and I'm very happy with this decision.

Journalist: That's what I was going to ask next. What has Real Madrid given you? What has Madrid given you? What has life in Spain given you? Do you feel at peace?

Mbappe: More peace, much more peace. In France, I had less peace. I wanted to directly experience a new culture and adapt to Spanish culture faster. Of course, I still need time, but I think with each passing month, I feel better and better in Spain. I haven't had an unhappy moment here. Only at the beginning, because I didn't have a home yet, and when you don't have a home, you always feel a bit... you know, out of place, and you want to go back to your own place and have your own things. But since I got a home, I've been very happy here.

Journalist: Can you "walk around" as we say in Madrid? Can you go for walks? Can you move about freely?

Mbappe: Yes, yes, but not much. Sometimes, but not much, because although I have more peace, there's still... This is also normal, it's part of the job, it's part of my life, and I accept it 100%.

Journalist: But you're living well in Madrid, right?

Mbappe: Yes, very well, very well. Honestly, very well.

Journalist: When you came here as a Paris Saint-Germain player, you saw this stadium. I remember some footage of you and your teammates walking on the Bernabéu pitch, looking at it with admiration. Does it feel the same now as it did then as a PSG player?

Mbappe: No, it's even more than that. Because when you play for Real Madrid, it's a completely different feeling. And when I came with Paris, the Bernabéu wasn't fully built. Of course, you look at it and think, this is truly an amazing stadium, but it wasn't complete, and some areas were still under construction.

Journalist: What did you think when you and your teammates walked in that day... We noticed at the time, you know we like to use our imagination a bit, we thought "he must be thinking he'll play here someday."

Mbappe: Yes, yes, yes, I remember it very clearly, very clearly. The thing is, at that time, I remember it was the day before a Champions League match, and it was very noisy because the workers were working, and there was noise coming from above. So when we came in, we all looked up because it felt like something might fall on us. I remember people saying he was very excited. Yes, it's a great stadium full of history, but it was really noisy at that moment. But when you actually see it, when I came to Madrid for my presentation, and every match I've played... Now I've been here two years, and I've never felt "okay, I'm used to it." It's always, always very special.

Journalist: Playing at the Bernabéu still excites you, right?

Mbappe: Always, always, always. Because it's a legendary stadium, you can feel the weight of history, and every match is different. People forget what happened in the past and focus only on what's about to happen. So you always have the chance to make new history, something you don't see at all stadiums in the world.

Journalist: You're still excited every time you play at the Bernabéu, right?

Mbappe: Yes, 100%, 100%. I hope my team and I can experience many more magical nights at the Bernabéu, because when the Bernabéu has an amazing Champions League night, I don't think there's a better place in the world.

Journalist: Florentino Pérez is a president making history. How important is his presence to you playing here?

Mbappe: Very important, because he brought me here. I've been in contact with him for 10 years before I joined Real Madrid. He's always shown me complete love and affection, and he's always been able to understand the context of every decision I made, whether it was good or bad for Real Madrid. He always told me that one day I would play for Real Madrid. Today I'm here, and I'm very happy, so I have to thank him for everything he's done for me, and everything he continues to do for me, because for me, he's the best president in the world, as I've said before.

Journalist: When did you decide? Was there any detail that made you feel "I have to play for Real Madrid"? Not as a boy, but as a professional footballer, Kylian.

Mbappe: Honestly, if I'm being frank, no one needs to convince you to join Real Madrid.

Journalist: No, not many people but certain details, right? Certain details.

Mbappe: No, no, no. It's just that in my story with Real Madrid, there was a period when I wanted to come but couldn't. In the world of football, if you understand it like I do, you know that sometimes things don't depend on you. You have to wait. In football, sometimes the timing has to be right, and you can only move forward when all the lights are green. Because from my perspective, people have always known that I wanted to join Real Madrid at some point. I've said that many times, but sometimes if it doesn't work out, it doesn't work out. You have to accept that, and of course there will be disappointment, but a footballer's career always moves forward, not backward. In good times and bad times, you have to look ahead. And no one... not even someone as great as Florentino needed to convince me to join Real Madrid, because for me, it was an obvious choice.

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