Mbappe failed to score in the first three rounds of La Liga, and was predicted by many to become a “flop” like Eden Hazard – a player who only scored seven goals in four seasons with Real.

Mbappe has also shown signs of decline, scoring just four goals in his last 16 games in all competitions, for PSG, Real and the French national team. He has only achieved an efficiency of 0.25 goals per game and has failed to score in 12 of these 16 matches.

But the 2018 World Cup champion quenched his thirst with a double at the Bernabeu on September 1. In the 67th minute, Federico Valverde’s delicate backheel allowed Mbappe to break the offside trap and shoot with his left foot into the near corner to open the scoring. In the 73rd minute, Vinicius entered the penalty area, was fouled by goalkeeper Rui Silva and won a penalty. From the 11m mark, Mbappe shot to the right, against the Betis goalkeeper’s prediction, completing his double and sealing a 2-0 victory.

Mbappe celebrates with his teammates after scoring for Real in round 4 of La Liga.

In the draw with Las Palmas on August 29, Real were also awarded a penalty but Vinicius was the one to take it. The Brazilian striker’s decision to let Mbappe take the penalty against Betis also dispelled rumors that the two attacking stars were dissatisfied and did not want to coordinate with each other.

Mbappe is the fourth player to open his La Liga account with a double, after Ronaldo, Chicharito, Dani Ceballos and Van Nistelrooy. If he had taken advantage of the opportunity, the 25-year-old striker could have scored a hat-trick. In the 24th minute, Valverde passed the ball to Mbappe and then shot diagonally with his right foot, sending the ball wide of the post.

In the 50th minute, Vinicius’ shot hit the foot of a visiting player and hit the post, but Mbappe swooped in and kicked the ball into the air in front of an empty goal. When he left the field in the 84th minute, Mbappe received a round of applause from fans throughout the Bernabeu stadium.

Coach Carlo Ancelotti was pleased with Mbappe’s “open fire” in La Liga as well as Vinicius’s decision to let his teammate take the penalty. “Vinicius was not selfish in letting Mbappe take the penalty. They have a good relationship, including with Rodrygo,” the Italian coach said. “We never put pressure on Mbappe, but the important thing is that he scores.”

The 2-0 victory helped Real rise to second place with eight points, just behind Barca – the only club to maintain a winning streak through the first four rounds of La Liga.

After a two-week break to make way for the national teams, Man City will visit Sociedad in round five of La Liga on September 14 and then return home to host Stuttgart in the first round of the Champions League.