Frenchman made an interesting gesture from 12 yards in the last minute against Villareal
Real Madrid were 1-0 up against Villareal and in the final minute of stoppage time Kylian Mbappe stood over the ball, having won a late penalty to put the tie beyond doubt.
On the pitch as well was teammate Brahim Diaz, who had shouldered the borne the brunt of a nation’s sorrow when he failed to convert from 12 yard in the Africa Cup of Nations final against Senegal, hitting a tame Panenka penalty that, much to his chagrin, goalkeeper Edouard Mendy scooped up like a parent picking up and cradling their toddler at the gates of a nursery school.
Morocco lost on home soil and the humiliated Diaz, unable to be consoled by winning the golden boot in the tournament, jetted back to Madrid and was available to come off the bench at the weekend’s game against Villareal at the Estadio de la Ceramica.
There Mbappe was stood, 12 yards from goal, having scored Madrid’s opener in the early minutes of the second half, and here in the dying minutes, with the ability to score their second. The Frenchman ran up to the spot and then chipped the ball delicately into the middle as goalkeeper Luiz Junior went to his right.
“It’s for you, it’s for you,” Mbappe was caught by pitchside cameras telling teammate Diaz, a show of support, a gesture of camaraderie. Later in the mixed zone he confirmed to reporters that the spotkick was a tribute to Diaz. This was not a group full of ego and ambition, the message said; this was a team marked by togetherness, there for each other in the lowest moments.
