MADRID: Kylian Mbappe signed a five-year deal to move to Real Madrid from Paris Saint-Germain on Monday and hailed the move as a “dream come true.”
The announcement is the culmination of Real’s long courtship of one of the most prolific forwards in world football.
“Real Madrid have reached an agreement for the player to be at Real Madrid for the next five seasons,” the club said in a statement.
“So happy and proud to join the club of my dream @realmadrid. Nobody can understand how excited I am right now. Can’t wait to see you, Madridistas, and thanks for your unbelievable support,” 25-year-old Mbappe added on social media.
He will earn 35 million euros ($38 million) a season, according to reports in Spain.
Mbappe’s last contract with PSG, signed in 2022, was a two-year deal worth some 72 million euros before tax with loyalty bonuses of a similar amount and a signing-on fee of 150 million euros.
Mbappe had verbally agreed to move to Real in February and then announced in May he would leave PSG at the end of the season.
Real, fresh from winning their 15th Champions League on Saturday with a 2-0 victory against Borussia Dortmund, moved to confirm the deal on Monday before Mbappe is involved in pre-Euro 2024 friendlies for France.
A World Cup winner as a teenager in 2018, Mbappe scored a club record 256 goals for PSG since joining the Qatar-owned club from Monaco on an initial loan in 2017.
He eventually moved to PSG in a 180-million-euro deal — all at the age of 18.
Mbappe helped PSG to six Ligue 1 titles and steered them to the 2020 Champions League final, but they lost to Bayern Munich.
He scored a hat-trick in the World Cup final against Argentina in Qatar in 2022 but still finished on the losing side as Lionel Messi’s Argentina won on penalties.
PSG lavished huge sums to put Mbappe, Brazil star Neymar and Messi in the same team, hoping to finally unlock the Champions League puzzle. But the French club came up short.
As Mbappe’s fame has grown, so has his importance to both the French national team and France the country.
President Emmanuel Macron intervened to persuade him to stay at PSG in June 2022 when a move to Real seemed almost cut and dried.
At Real, who also won back the La Liga title from fierce rivals Barcelona this season, Mbappe will form a formidable attacking trio with Brazilian forward Vinicius Junior and England international Jude Bellingham.
A lethal trio of such unequivocal quality brings to mind Real’s glittering era with Cristiano Ronaldo the star in a trio that also included Gareth Bale and Karim Benzema.
Mbappe idolized Ronaldo as a child and now has the chance to emulate the Portuguese forward, Madrid’s all-time top goalscorer.
At PSG, Mbappe was briefly the junior member of a stellar trio with Messi and Neymar. At Real, Mbappe will be the senior striker.
Real started 23-year-old Rodrygo Goes alongside 20-year-old Bellingham and 23-year Vinicius in Saturday’s Champions League final.
In February, coach Carlo Ancelotti was asked how he would accommodate Mbappe.
“Good players need to know how to play together. The important thing is to maintain a balance,” he said. “For me, the most important things in a team are: quality and balance. If you can combine these two things, you’ll be successful.”
As part of a formidable rebuild, the club has already brought in young midfielders to take over from retiring Toni Kroos and 39-year-old Luka Modric in Eduardo Camavinga, Federico Valverde and Aurelien Tchouameni, all 25 or under.
They have also signed teenage Brazilian star Endrick.
Mbappe makes ‘dream’ move to Real Madrid
https://arab.news/jg2qs
Mbappe makes ‘dream’ move to Real Madrid

- Kylian Mbappe: ‘So happy and proud to join the club of my dream @realmadrid. Nobody can understand how excited I am right now. Can’t wait to see you Madridistas’
- Real, fresh from winning their 15th Champions League with a 2-0 victory over Borussia Dortmund, moved to confirm the deal before Mbappe is involved in pre-Euro 2024 friendlies
Saudi professional esports team Falcons Vega wins UK women’s tournament Red Bull Instalock

- The invitational tournament ran from May 2-3 at the UK’s premier esports and gaming venue, the Red Bull Gaming Sphere in London
- Red Bull Instalock brought together some of the best women’s VALORANT teams from around the world, including G2 Gozen, GIANTX GC, Falcons Vega, and FlyQuest RED
LONDON: Falcons Vega have been crowned this year’s Red Bull Instalock champions, securing the victory following a weekend of top-level competition from London’s premier gaming and esports venue, the Red Bull Gaming Sphere. The event marked the UK’s first professional women’s esports tournament of 2025.
Returning for a second straight year, Red Bull Instalock brought together four of the world’s elite women’s VALORANT teams for two days of competition. Returning to the lineup were last year’s champions G2 Gozen from Germany and London locals GIANTX GC. Joining them as Red Bull Instalock newcomers were Falcons Vega from Saudi Arabia and FlyQuest RED representing America.
The tournament saw the return of its unique format, transforming the traditional team structure to require three duelists, VALORANT’s offensive class, in order to encourage aggressive plays and quick thinking.
The tournament kicked off Friday with intense best-of-three matchups between Falcons Vega and GiantX GC, and between G2 Gozen and FlyQuest RED. Following intense back-and-forth battles on the map, Falcons Vega and G2 Gozen both secured 2-1 wins in their matches, progressing to the Upper Bracket Final later in the day. Inaugural Red Bull Instalock champions G2 Gozen continued their winning streak, knocking Falcons Vega down to the lower bracket in a clean 2-0 sweep and securing the first available spot for the Grand Final.
In the lower bracket, FlyQuest RED knocked out GiantX GC in a 2-0 win, before being pitted against Falcons Vega. With both teams eager to prove their worth and secure the remaining spot in the Grand Final, Falcons Vega swiftly earned their place with a 2-0 win that propelled them into the final showdown.
The Grand Final pivoted to a best-of-five, raising the stakes and pushing both teams to the limit in an intense back-and-forth showdown that went across five maps. Falcons Vega swiftly took the first map against G2 Gozen, grinding the latter team’s momentum to a halt. Determined not to go down without a fight, G2 Gozen brought it back with a 19-17 win on map two following the longest overtime in the tournament’s history, and another win on the third map, before Falcons Vega closed the gap on map four. With teams tied, stakes were higher than ever going into map five, and Falcons Vega eventually triumphed 13-8 following an incredible final performance, dethroning G2 Gozen and claiming the title of Red Bull Instalock Champions.
Falcons Vega pro and Red Bull player Maryam “Mary” Maher said: “It means so much to have won Red Bull Instalock. This team is made of the most hardworking women I know, and I’m proud of the work we put in. We’re so happy to be representing the Middle East and want to be role models for women gamers in the region.”
Red Bull Instalock host Yinsu Collins also commented: “This year’s Red Bull Instalock has been amazing. I don’t think I’ll ever forget that we crowned Falcons Vega as our winners, and it’s been really special to have some of the best players from MENA and SEA to compete under one roof in London. We had an incredible variety of international teams and players compete this year, which helped keep the action fresh, and it’s been great to see matchups between teams that don’t normally get to compete together.”
Fatal Fury: Alvarez undisputed champion in Riyadh, Crawford eyes it next

- Unanimous decision win over William Scull on Saturday night
RIYADH: Canelo Alvarez once again cemented his place atop boxing’s super middleweight division, claiming undisputed status with a unanimous decision win over IBF title holder William Scull on Saturday night at the ANB Arena in Riyadh. It was a tactical affair rather than a thriller, but enough to remind the world who still rules at 168 pounds.
Canelo told Arab News before the fight that he would humble Scull, adding: “He’s very confident but he’s going to feel something different on Saturday.” The latter felt the Mexican king’s words.
Turki Alalshikh delivered the night’s biggest fireworks after the final bell, orchestrating a dramatic in-ring face-off between Canelo and Terence Crawford to announce plans for a Sept. 12 mega-fight. The undefeated Crawford, one of Turki’s favored fighters, now appears next in line — a high-stakes bout that has boxing buzzing.
A Canelo and Crawford showdown is a classic pressure versus precision matchup — Canelo’s methodical stalking and body punching against Crawford’s switch-hitting, movement, and counters. If Crawford can control distance and disrupt Canelo’s rhythm, he can box his way to a decision. But if Canelo cuts the ring, lands to the body, and imposes his physicality, he could break Crawford down — or at least bank enough rounds up close.
Elsewhere on the card, Badou Jack retained his WBC cruiserweight title in a majority decision that left many scratching their heads. Most observers believed Noel Mikaelian had done more than enough to win, but the judges saw it otherwise, handing Jack one of the night’s more contentious victories.
Super middleweight contender Jaime Munguia picked up a solid, if unremarkable, win in his rematch with Bruno Surace, while heavyweights Efe Ajagba and Martin Bakole battled to a hard-fought draw that could easily set up a rematch. Both fighters absorbed plenty in a gritty back-and-forth contest.
Bakole was amazed to see how popular he was among Saudi fans who shouted his name throughout the fight. “I stole the show — everyone loves me (here),” he said, adding that he was aiming for a rematch to settle the score.
The undercard delivered glimpses of the future. Cuban light heavyweight prospect Brayan Leon stayed unbeaten with a dominant win, despite some defensive lapses, while 2024 Olympian Marco Verde made a thunderous pro debut with a first-round stoppage.
Richard Riakporhe made a successful entrance into the heavyweight ranks with a stoppage win over Kevin Nicolas Espindola.
Fighting for the first time since his cruiserweight title loss to Chris Billam-Smith last June, the 35-year-old Londoner returned to the ring carrying a bulked-up frame at 235 pounds. The added size signaled his intentions to create a new chapter in boxing’s glamor division.
“I want to get a heavyweight title. I’ve grown now, I’ve built myself up, I’m more healthy," Riakporhe said, expressing a desire to chase that ambition under the lights of a familiar setting. “This is where I want to do my fighting now,” he added, referring to Saudi Arabia.
The Kingdom’s own Mohammed Alakel remained undefeated, winning a shutout decision and continuing his climb in the opening bout on the Fatal Fury City of Wolves card.
He told Arab News in a post-fight interview that he was ready to “happily” take on any name next, anywhere in the world, adding: “I just want to get the experience and (become) the first Saudi champion.”
It was a night billed around one man, but the supporting cast — for better or worse — gave fans plenty to talk about. From disputed decisions to promising debuts, Riyadh delivered the full spectrum of boxing’s beauty and blemishes.
Baniyas lead in third round of Khaled bin Mohamed bin Zayed Jiu-Jitsu Championship

- Al-Jazira Jiu-Jitsu Club are in second place, Al-Ain Jiu-Jitsu Club in third
Abu Dhabi, May 3: Baniyas Jiu-Jitsu Club continued to lead the third round of the Khaled bin Mohamed bin Zayed Jiu-Jitsu Championship on Saturday after competitions in the U-14 and U-16 categories took place at the Mubadala Arena in Abu Dhabi.
Al-Jazira Jiu-Jitsu Club are in second place, while Al-Ain Jiu-Jitsu Club are in third.
Mohamed Salem Al-Dhaheri, vice chairman of the UAE Jiu-Jitsu Federation, said: “The Khaled bin Mohamed bin Zayed Jiu-Jitsu Championship represents a key pillar in our strategy to develop the sport, especially by focusing on younger age groups, who are the foundation of long-term sporting excellence. The championship’s ranking system offers strong motivation for clubs and academies to enhance player development and achieve strong results — factors that will elevate the level of competition and expand the athlete base across the country.”
Meanwhile, Mohammed Haitham, youth team coach at Al-Jazira Jiu-Jitsu Club, said: “We prepared intensively for this round, both physically and mentally, knowing how important it is in the overall championship. The team delivered a strong and disciplined performance, executing the technical plans effectively, which boosts our chances in the final rankings.”
The final day of the third round takes place on Sunday with the U-12 categories.
Mahindra Racing secures season-best result in Monaco E-Prix as Rowland takes first place

- The team had arrived in Monaco on the back of nine consecutive points finishes
MONACO: Mahindra Racing recorded its strongest result of the ABB FIA Formula E World Championship season to date with a second-place finish in the opening Monaco E-Prix on Saturday.
Nyck de Vries secured a runner-up finish in the Principality behind eventual winner Oliver Roland of Nissan, while team-mate Edoardo Mortara crossed the line in fourth, moving Mahindra up to third in both the Teams’ and Manufacturers’ standings.
Jake Dennis scored the third and final podium sport for Andretti.
The team had arrived in Monaco on the back of nine consecutive points finishes and a perfect Duels qualification record so far in Season 11 with its M11Electro car.
That consistency continued in qualifying, where de Vries advanced to the Semi-Finals and secured fourth on the grid. Mortara qualified ninth, giving Mahindra two cars in the top 10.
De Vries made a strong start, moving into third at the first corner before managing his race through two full-course yellow periods, a mandatory PIT BOOST stop – which requires a 34-second stationary recharge – and two Attack Mode activations. He moved into second in the closing stages and held position to the flag despite late pressure from behind.
“I’m very happy to be on the podium today, especially in front of my family and friends here in Monaco,” said de Vries. “The car was excellent, and we executed a very strong race strategically, so the whole team deserve a lot of credit for the work that we’ve done.
“Tomorrow is another day, and another race, but we’ll enjoy this result, and it’s great to have some confirmation of the progress we’re continuing to make, and a reward for the work we’ve done so far. We know the next steps will be harder, but this is encouraging.”
Mortara also moved forward through the race despite running with minor front wing damage following contact from another car. He climbed from ninth on the grid to fifth by managing his energy and using the PIT BOOST period to gain track position. He passed Nico Mueller on the final lap to take fourth.
“It’s a strong result for the team, and I was very happy to come through the field and score some good points today,” said Mortara. “Even with some minor damage, we were able to make progress and fight towards the front, which is very encouraging and another sign we are on the right path with our development of this new package.
“It’s a great start to the weekend, and hopefully we can have another positive result tomorrow.”
Team Principal and CEO Frederic Bertrand praised the team’s performance and execution, particularly under the new PIT BOOST format that was introduced this season.
“These are the days we’ve been working towards as a team, and it’s important to enjoy them whilst also being hungry for more,” said Bertrand.
“Today was a great example of what we have been building. We’ve extended our run of qualifying for the Duels and scoring points in every race this season, and I was particularly pleased to see not only how Nyck was able to fight at the front, but how Edo moved through the pack despite some small damage.
“PIT BOOST races are still a bit of an unknown for the whole paddock, but our engineers and mechanics executed a great strategy, and we were able to use it to our advantage again, as we did in Jeddah.
“Overall, a very pleasing result. It’s always nice to end the day with a trophy, but our focus remains to keep up this level of performance consistently and keep being ambitious and aim for even higher.”
Mahindra will return to action on Sunday for the second Monaco E-Prix of the weekend.
Arsenal suffer Bournemouth defeat ahead of PSG showdown

- Mikel Arteta’s side took the lead through Declan Rice’s opener on his 100th appearance for the club
- Arteta admitted this week that it was “very painful” to watch Liverpool celebrate winning the Premier League title last weekend
LONDON: Arsenal suffered a blow ahead of their Champions League showdown with Paris Saint-Germain as Evanilson fired Bournemouth to a 2-1 victory at the Emirates Stadium on Saturday.
Mikel Arteta’s side took the lead through Declan Rice’s opener on his 100th appearance for the club.
But Dean Huijsen equalized in the second half and Evanilson completed the comeback to give Bournemouth their first ever away win over Arsenal.
Beaten 1-0 by PSG in the Champions League semifinal first leg on Tuesday, Arsenal will need a much-improved performance in the second leg in Paris on Wednesday.
The second-placed Gunners also still require six points to guarantee Champions League qualification for next season via a top five finish in the Premier League.
Arteta admitted this week that it was “very painful” to watch Liverpool celebrate winning the Premier League title last weekend.
The Gunners finished as runners-up behind Manchester City for the last two seasons and the Champions League is their last hope of a trophy this term.
Arteta is still waiting to win the second trophy of his six-year Arsenal reign, with his last silverware coming in the 2020 FA Cup.
Arsenal last reached the Champions League final in 2006 and have never won the tournament.
With so much at stake in the Parc des Princes next week, it was intriguing to see Arteta select a full strength side for a relatively meaningless game against Bournemouth.
Instead of resting, key stars Rice, Bukayo Saka, Martin Odegaard and William Saliba were all in Arsenal’s starting line-up.
Jurrien Timber and Mikel Merino were the notable absentees for Arsenal, with Arteta revealing the former will need a fitness test to determine his availability for the PSG game.
Bournemouth arrived in north London with an outside chance of qualifying for Europe and had already beaten Arsenal at the Vitality Stadium in October.
Evanilson started for Bournemouth after his red card against Manchester United was overturned.
The Brazilian forward wasted a golden opportunity when he headed over after Jakub Kiwior slipped while trying to clear Milos Kerkez’s cross.
Leandro Trossard went close to the opener as the Arsenal forward stooped to meet Martinelli’s cross with a header that forced a good save from Kepa Arrizabalaga.
Rice made the breakthrough in the 34th minute, running onto Odegaard’s precise pass and rounding Kepa to slot into the empty net before celebrating with a bow to the crowd.
Evanilson nearly caught out David Raya with a lob from 40 yards after the Arsenal keeper miscued a pass to the striker.
Saka should have done better than head tamely at Kepa from Martinelli’s cross immediately after the interval.
Saka went closer moments later, nimbly cutting inside for a curler that fizzed past the far post.
Arsenal had failed to win nine league games in which they held the lead this season, a failing that played a major role in their title race surrender.
And once again Arteta’s side were rocked by a sucker punch as Bournemouth levelled with their first effort on target in the 67th minute.
Antoine Semenyo launched a long throw into the Arsenal area and Huijsen eluded Rice as he climbed to loop a header over Raya into the far corner from six yards.
The Gunners had lost their way and Evanilson made them pay in the 75th minute.
Marcus Tavernier flicked the ball toward the far post and Evanilson poked home, with Bournemouth finally able to celebrate after a VAR check for a potential handball.