Kylian Mbappe said he hopes to "live through many more" games like Real Madrid's win over Manchester City after the French striker's hat-trick ensured the holders will be in the draw for the Uefa Champions League last 16 on Friday.
Mbappe scored a brilliant treble on Wednesday to power Real to a 3-1 victory in the second leg of their play-off tie against City, who failed to make the last 16 for the first time since 2012.
Nico Gonzalez pulled one back in added time after an Omar Marmoush free kick hit the bar but the contest was long since over with the night belonging to Mbappe.
This was the kind of victory the French superstar dreamed of, both as a boy in his bedroom surrounded by Cristiano Ronaldo posters, and in his past few seasons at Paris Saint-Germain.
As PSG came up short year after year in Europe, Mbappe watched on as Madrid extended their power over the European game, reaching a record 15 European Cup triumphs.
With Madrid's poor start to the current campaign – in part due to Mbappe's teething problems – leaving the Spanish and European champions in the play-off round against City, they needed the forward to deliver.
With three lethal finishes he did just that to help Carlo Ancelotti's rampant Madrid seal a 6-3 aggregate triumph.
"This is the type of game we want to play," said Mbappe. "People told me about these nights and now I can see it with my own eyes and I want to live through many more of them."
After years of speculation and failed attempts to sign him, Mbappe finally arrived in the Spanish capital last summer.
However, his first few months brought problems, an apparent lack of confidence and erratic form.
Missed penalties against Liverpool and Athletic Bilbao highlighted the concerns around him but Mbappe drew a line under it and pledged to show his character.
With 18 goals in his last 18 matches, he has done just that and his best performance in a Madrid shirt came at the adoring Bernabeu against City.
"I knew that I couldn't have done worse than I was doing," Mbappe told Movistar after his stunning treble against City.
"I had to play with personality, my adaptation time was over and I have to show my quality."
Mbappe said signing for Madrid to accomplish his long-term goal was not enough.
"Making my dream come true is one thing, but I want to play well here, mark an era and write history at Real Madrid," he explained.
"I've always said I have no limit, if I can score 50 goals I will score them, if I can score more, I'll score more, but the important thing is winning titles.
"In my career I've scored a lot of goals but we have to see if they mean something, because in the end we didn't always win titles ... if I can score a lot of goals and we win the trophies, I'll sign for that with my blood."
Mbappe has 28 goals for Real Madrid in 38 games and the form he is in has opened up comparisons to the club's all-time greats, even though he is just at the start of his trajectory with Los Blancos.
"He has the quality to reach the level of Cristiano [at Madrid]," Ancelotti told reporters.
"He has to work because Cristiano set the bar very high, [Mbappe] has just started at this club.
"For the quality he has, and the excitement he has to play here, he can reach Ronaldo's level but it won't be easy for him, he has to work."
Portuguese veteran Ronaldo scored 450 goals in 438 games for Madrid after joining from Manchester United in 2009, becoming the team's all-time top goalscorer.
Real Madrid will face crosstown rivals Atletico Madrid or German champions Bayer Leverkusen when the draw is made in Switzerland on Friday.
Pep Guardiola accepted City had been outplayed in the Spanish capital and that "the best team won".
City had led the tie 2-1 heading into the closing minutes at the Etihad Stadium last week only to surrender their advantage.
Yet this time they were hardly in the contest as Real took charge with Mbappe’s opener on four minutes and the Frenchman ended all doubt with two more either side of the break.
“The plan was to extend the result that we brought from Manchester as long as possible but we conceded so early and with the injury to John [Stones] it was a little bit [more of] what has happened his season," said Guardiola.
“We couldn’t defend well with the movement from Mbappe and it was more difficult.
“The best team won, they deserved it. They were better. What we have to do is accept the reality and move forward.”
PSG hammer Brest as PSV knock out Juventus
PSG hammered Brest 7-0 at the Parc des Princes to cruise into the last 16 with a 10-0 aggregate victory.
Seven players were on the scoresheet as PSG recorded their biggest win in European competition in advancing to meet either Liverpool or Barcelona, the top two clubs from the league phase.
Bradley Barcola and Khvicha Kvaratskhelia extended PSG’s first-leg advantage before the interval and Luis Enrique’s side showed no mercy in the second half.
Vitinha, Desire Doue, Nuno Mendes, Goncalo Ramos and Senny Mayulu completed the rout in this one-sided all-French affair.
Ryan Flamingo scored an extra-time winner for PSV Eindhoven as they dumped Juventus out with a spectacular 3-1 second-leg win to go through 4-3 on aggregate.
The Eredivisie side fought back from 2-1 down after the first leg in Turin with Ivan Perisic and Ismael Saibari scoring the goals, in between which Timothy Weah had netted to briefly put the Serie A side back into the ascendency.
PSV’s progression means they will face either Arsenal or Inter Milan.
Borussia Dortmund drew 0-0 with Sporting Lisbon to progress to the last 16 with a 3-0 aggregate victory.
The Bundesliga side, who are unlikely to qualify for next season’s Champions League via their league position, will face either Aston Villa or Lille in the next round.
