‎Kylian Mbappe scores first free-kick in Copa del Rey final as viral 200k-follower X account shuts down

‎Kylian Mbappe finally silenced critics and a viral social media campaign as he scored the first direct free-kick goal of his professional career—though the moment came in the midst of heartbreak for Real Madrid, who suffered a dramatic 3-2 defeat to Barcelona in the Copa del Rey final.

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‎Kylian Mbappe breaks free-kick drought in Copa del Rey final as viral X account bows out.

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‎The French superstar, who joined Los Blancos amid immense fanfare, had long been scrutinized for one peculiar statistic: he had never scored from a direct free-kick. That singular anomaly became the sole focus of a popular account on X (formerly Twitter) titled ‘Has Mbappe scored a free-kick’, which had amassed over 200,000 followers and generated more than 16 million impressions through its persistent, tongue-in-cheek updates.

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Getty Images Sport 

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‎On Saturday night, that narrative came to a resounding end. Mbappe stepped up in the 62nd minute and curled a stunning free-kick past Marc-André ter Stegen to bring Madrid level at 2-2. For a brief moment, it seemed like the night would belong to the 2018 World Cup winner. But Barcelona had other plans. Jules Kounde, Mbappe’s compatriot, delivered a late strike in extra time to seal the Copa del Rey title for the Catalan giants.

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‎With Mbappe’s milestone reached, the viral X account’s mission was complete. Its anonymous owner posted a farewell message: “Well, in any case, congratulations Mbappe, it was a fair fight!” The account, once a light-hearted fixture in football discourse, is now slated for deactivation or sale.

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‎For Real Madrid, the defeat narrows their path to silverware. With the Champions League hopes dashed earlier in the season, only La Liga remains. Currently trailing Barcelona by four points, the pressure is on Mbappe and company to salvage what’s left of the campaign.

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‎While the trophy may have eluded them on Saturday, Mbappe's goal marked a symbolic win—proof that even the most elusive of records can be shattered under the brightest lights.