Mourinho: Mbappe 'insane' after hat-trick in Real Madrid 4-1 win over Real Sociedad

Jose Mourinho described Kylian Mbappé as "insane" after the striker scored a hat-trick in Real Madrid's 4-1 victory over Real Sociedad, marking Mourinho's return to the home dugout at the Santiago Bernabéu.

The France international and Golden Boot winner at this summer's World Cup continued his prolific form, helping Madrid secure their second La Liga win in as many matches under Mourinho, who was reappointed as head coach this summer after previously managing the club between 2010 and 2013.

Mbappé produced three brilliant finishes, with Jude Bellingham providing two assists and also setting up Vinícius Júnior for the third goal.

Mourinho's Reaction

"There's something I don't like doing, but sometimes I have to do: I don't like to talk about individuals, but what Kylian did … it was insane," Mourinho told Real Madrid TV after the match.

"Mbappé has a knack for scoring, for creating chances … when the team is under pressure, he's able to drop deep and link up with Vini and Jude, gaining ground and creating danger."

Speaking at his press conference, Mourinho added:

"This bloke is incredible. He's incredible. I'm really glad he made history at the World Cup because only one player is truly for the ages, the one with the most World Cup goals. I can see he's absolutely raring to make history with Real Madrid. I've seen a team where, even though Kylian is Kylian and has done what he's done."

The Portuguese coach also noted:

"Mbappé arrived two days before his holidays were expected to finish, and those two extra days in pre-season can make a positive difference."

Match Summary

Mbappé played the full 90 minutes in Saturday's opening-day 2-1 victory at Espanyol but did not score. On Wednesday, however, his treble fired Madrid to a comprehensive win over Real Sociedad.

• 39th minute: Mbappé opened the scoring five minutes before half-time.
• 44th minute: Luka Sucic equalised for the visitors.
• 60th minute: Bellingham assisted Mbappé to restore Madrid's lead.
• 68th minute: Bellingham again provided the assist as Vinícius Júnior found the net.
• 80th minute: Vinícius Jr. picked out Mbappé with a pinpoint pass for the Frenchman's third and Madrid's fourth.

Brahim Díaz thought he had added a fifth for Madrid late on, but the goal was disallowed as Carlos Espi was offside in the build-up.

Footage available to UK readers:

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Kylian Mbappé has his hat-trick! 💥 Vinícius Júnior picks him out with a wonderful pass before the striker applies the finish 👊

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— Premier Sports (@PremSportsTV) August 26, 2026

Madrid's Fans Unified in Team Support

Analysis by The Athletic's Real Madrid correspondent, Mario Cortegana

One of the interesting aspects of the return to the Bernabéu was how the fans would react to various players, including Mbappé, following all the noise that surrounded last season.

Everything went smoothly — a far cry from the drama of past months. During that time, Mbappé had been booed on a few occasions at the stadium, mainly because of a trip he took with his partner while recovering from a muscle injury. The season even ended with an exchange of words through the media with the previous head coach, Álvaro Arbeloa.

On Wednesday, however, there was no trace of any of that.

Mbappé was announced last in the line-up — the spot Real Madrid reserve for the star player — although this can change during the campaign. The crowd's reaction was one of total support.

Once the match got underway, it was the same story. Although the striker missed a few clear-cut chances, he was one of the leaders of the team and looked in excellent physical shape, as if he had enjoyed a full pre-season. Each of his three goals was celebrated, and his name was chanted enthusiastically.

After two seasons without major trophies since his arrival as a free agent from Paris Saint-Germain, Mbappé and Madrid's fans have set out to do everything in their power to turn things around.

By Colin Millar and Mario Cortegana