MADRID — Kylian Mbappé scored a hat-trick to lead Real Madrid to a 4-1 victory over Real Sociedad on Wednesday, giving José Mourinho a winning return to the Santiago Bernabéu in the club’s first home match of the new La Liga season.
Mbappé scored in the 40th, 60th and 80th minutes, while Vinícius Júnior added Real Madrid’s other goal. Luka Sučić had briefly equalized for Real Sociedad before halftime.
Jude Bellingham supplied two assists as Madrid turned a tense match into a convincing victory, securing a second win in as many league games under Mourinho.
The result gave Madrid an early boost in the title race and offered a reminder of the attacking potential in a lineup built around Mbappé, Vinícius and Bellingham.
For Mbappé, the night was especially significant. The France forward had not scored in Madrid’s opening league win at Espanyol, but he erased that quiet start with three increasingly emphatic finishes against Sociedad.
His first came from a sharp turn and top-corner strike. His second followed a flowing move involving Bellingham. His third, a delicate chip over goalkeeper Alex Remiro, completed a performance that silenced early frustration inside the Bernabéu and left supporters celebrating with the match ball held high.
A difficult first half
The final score did not fully reflect the early balance of the match.
Real Madrid controlled possession and created chances, but Real Sociedad defended aggressively and threatened enough to keep the home side unsettled. The visitors were compact without the ball and looked to disrupt Madrid’s rhythm in midfield.
Mbappé broke the deadlock in the 40th minute.
Federico Valverde found the French forward with a pass, and Mbappé used a quick touch to move beyond his defender before sending a powerful shot into the top corner.
It was his first La Liga goal of the season, and it appeared to put Madrid in control.
But Sociedad responded quickly.
Four minutes later, Madrid failed to clear a loose ball in its penalty area. Sučić took advantage, scoring to make it 1-1 before halftime.
The equalizer changed the mood at the Bernabéu. Madrid had expected a smoother home debut under Mourinho after opening the season with an away win over Espanyol. Instead, the team went into the break level and facing a familiar pressure: the demand not merely to win, but to dominate.
That pressure became particularly visible around Mbappé. ESPN reported that he was met by scattered jeers earlier in the match as supporters reacted to missed opportunities and a slow collective start.
Mbappé’s response came in the second half.
Mbappé takes control
Real Madrid emerged after halftime with more urgency and greater precision.
The decisive goal came on the hour mark. Mbappé exchanged passes with Bellingham and finished from close range to restore Madrid’s lead.
The move highlighted a developing partnership that could define Madrid’s season. Bellingham found space between Sociedad’s midfield and defense, while Mbappé timed his movement into the penalty area and finished efficiently.
The goal changed the match.
Sociedad, which had looked organized and confident for much of the first hour, suddenly had to chase the game. Madrid’s attackers found more room, and Bellingham began exerting greater influence with his pressing and passing.
Eight minutes later, Bellingham helped create Madrid’s third.
The England midfielder won possession inside the Sociedad area, controlled the ball and set up Vinícius, who scored his first goal of the season.
Vinícius’ finish gave Madrid a 3-1 lead and effectively ended Sociedad’s hopes of a comeback.
The Brazilian’s goal also mattered on an individual level. He had been relatively quiet in the early stages, but his contribution demonstrated the danger of Madrid’s front line when opponents have to focus heavily on Mbappé.
With Sociedad stretched and Madrid in command, Mbappé completed his hat-trick in the 80th minute.
Vinícius released him with a precise through ball that passed through the defense. Mbappé ran onto it and chipped the ball over Remiro with composure.
It was the best finish of the night and the clearest illustration of his confidence once the game had opened up.
A statement in Mourinho’s home return
The match marked Mourinho’s first home game back in charge of Real Madrid.
His return to Bernabéu brought enormous attention. Mourinho had previously managed the club from 2010 to 2013, winning La Liga, the Copa del Rey and the Spanish Super Cup during a turbulent but successful first spell.
This time, he inherits a squad filled with elite attacking talent and expected to compete on every front.
The 4-1 victory provided an ideal early result, even if Mourinho will be concerned about the defensive lapse that allowed Sociedad to equalize. Madrid had difficulty clearing the ball before Sučić’s goal, and the lapse showed that the team remains a work in progress.
But the response after halftime was encouraging.
Madrid did not panic after conceding. It pressed higher, moved the ball more quickly, and relied on individual quality at key moments.
Mourinho described Mbappé as “hungry to make history at Real Madrid,” according to ESPN.
That assessment may prove important. Mbappé arrived at Madrid with the weight of enormous expectations, and every performance is evaluated against the standards of the club’s greatest forwards.
A hat-trick in the first home league match of the season is not a guarantee of long-term success. But it is a powerful start.
Bellingham sets the rhythm
Bellingham’s two assists made him one of the match’s most influential players.
The England international played a central role in Mbappé’s second goal, combining with the French forward before the finish. He then pressed Sociedad defender Jon Martín Beitia into a mistake, winning the ball and setting up Vinícius for Madrid’s third.
His performance showed why he is so valuable to Madrid’s balance. Bellingham can work as a midfielder, a creator, a ball-winner, and an extra attacker. Against Sociedad, he did all four.
The 23-year-old’s pressing changed the match in the second half. When Sociedad had the ball, he forced turnovers. When Madrid attacked, he found the spaces that allowed Mbappé and Vinícius to run behind the defense.
For a team with two of the world’s fastest and most dangerous forwards, that ability is crucial.
Valverde also played an important role. His pass created Mbappé’s first goal, and he provided the energy and positional discipline that allowed Madrid’s more attacking players to thrive.
Together, Bellingham and Valverde gave Madrid the midfield control it lacked at times during the first half.
Vinícius delivers at both ends
Vinícius scored once and assisted once, a contribution that reflected his value beyond his own finishing.
His goal in the 68th minute was his first of the league season. More importantly, it gave Madrid a two-goal advantage when Sociedad still had enough time to mount a response.
Then he created Mbappé’s third with a pass that cut through the Sociedad defense.
The connection between Mbappé and Vinícius will be among the main storylines of Madrid’s season. Both players are capable of operating from the left side, cutting inside and scoring. The challenge for Mourinho is to ensure they complement one another rather than occupy the same spaces.
Against Sociedad, the final goal offered a promising answer.
Vinícius had room to operate and saw Mbappé’s run. Mbappé received the pass in stride and finished decisively. The sequence showed how dangerous they can be when they alternate roles: one creates, the other scores.
Madrid’s front three are not simply a collection of star names. If their movements become more coordinated, they could become one of the most difficult attacking units in European football to contain.
Sociedad punished for missed chances
Real Sociedad will take little comfort from the fact that it competed well for long stretches.
Sučić’s equalizer had given the visitors momentum before halftime. Sociedad’s midfield disrupted Madrid’s early buildup, and its defense limited clear chances during parts of the match.
But the visitors could not maintain that discipline once Madrid increased the tempo.
Mbappé’s second goal exposed the space between Sociedad’s lines. Bellingham’s pressing created the third, and the fourth arrived after Sociedad’s defense had been stretched too far forward.
The 4-1 scoreline was harsh in one sense because Sociedad had made the game competitive. But it was also a reminder of the fine margins against a team with Madrid’s attacking quality.
At the Bernabéu, a few minutes of lost concentration can become decisive.
Sociedad will need to improve its ability to protect possession in dangerous areas and avoid allowing elite forwards space behind its defensive line.
Mbappé’s record against Sociedad
Mbappé’s hat-trick added to an already impressive scoring record against Real Sociedad.
Managing Madrid reported that the three goals took his tally against the Basque club to nine in 24 shots, a conversion rate of roughly 42%.
The hat-trick was reportedly his fourth for Real Madrid and his first in a match alongside teammates of similar global stature.
His total of 89 goals for the club moved him into Madrid’s top 25 all-time scorers, surpassing Luis Regueiro, who played for the club in the early 1930s, according to the outlet.
Those numbers should be viewed in context. Real Madrid’s all-time scoring list includes figures such as Cristiano Ronaldo, Karim Benzema, Raúl and Alfredo Di Stéfano. Mbappé still has a long way to go before entering that highest tier.
But he is building his case quickly.
His ability to score in different ways was evident against Sociedad. The first goal came from individual skill and a powerful strike. The second was a close-range finish after combination play. The third required speed, awareness, and technical control.
A striker who can score in all three ways is difficult to defend.
What it means for Madrid
Madrid now has two league wins from two to begin the season under Mourinho.
It is too early to draw major conclusions from the standings, but the performance answered several immediate questions.
Mbappé has begun scoring. Vinícius has opened his account. Bellingham is creating and pressing effectively. And Mourinho has delivered a commanding home victory on his return to the club.
The defensive lapse before halftime will remain an issue for the coaching staff. Madrid cannot depend on scoring four goals every week, especially in tighter league matches and Champions League fixtures.
Yet the attacking potential is clear.
The team turned a 1-1 halftime draw into a 4-1 win through a combination of speed, pressure and individual brilliance. It was not flawless, but it was forceful.
For Mbappé, the night ended with a match ball, a standing ovation and the first major headline of Madrid’s new campaign.
For Real Madrid, it was a homecoming victory that offered an early glimpse of what Mourinho’s new team could become.