Real Madrid Dominates Espanyol and Leads LaLiga with Perfect Record
Real Madrid continues its impeccable start to the 2025-26 LaLiga season with a 2-0 victory over Espanyol at the Santiago Bernabéu ⚽. Éder Militão opened the scoring in the 22nd minute with a powerful shot from outside the area, while Kylian Mbappé extended the lead at the start of the second half, also with a goal from outside the area. With this win, the team led by Xabi Alonso maintains its perfect record and sits at the top of the standings, with 15 points out of 15 possible. A demonstration of strength that combines solid defense and lethal attack 👑.
Capturing the Madrid Feat with GIMP
GIMP offers the tools to create a dynamic illustration that captures the essence of Militão and Mbappé's goals 🎨. Using layers, brushes, and light effects, shots from outside the area and the players' celebrations can be represented, highlighting the energy and excitement of the match. From action lines that simulate the ball's speed to the electric atmosphere of the Bernabéu, every visual element communicates Madrid's superiority in a key match. Perfect for fans and sports content creators.
Éder Militão and Kylian Mbappé scored from outside the area in a 2-0 victory that keeps Real Madrid with a perfect record.
Project Setup and Initial Sketch
Starting a new canvas in GIMP at 4000x3000 px at 300 dpi ensures high resolution for print or digital 🖌️. The initial sketch outlines the silhouettes of Militão and Mbappé in key moments—shooting at the goal and celebrating—along with other players in contextual positions. The stadium is sketched with basic perspective, focusing on the field and blurring the stands to prioritize the action. Separate layers for background, players, ball, and details allow working without destroying progress.
Shape Definition and Dynamic Action
With precise stroke brushes like "Hardness 075" or "Ink", the players' figures are refined, emphasizing tensed muscles and shooting postures 💪. The ball is drawn in trajectory with speed lines that suggest power and spin. Real Madrid uniforms—white with blue details—are outlined with attention to folds and movement, while Espanyol opponents are kept in darker tones for contrast. Anatomy and kinetics must feel authentic to elite football.
Colorization and Bernabéu Atmosphere
The palette centers on Real Madrid colors—bright whites and electric blues—against the vibrant green of the pitch 🟢. The stadium background uses grayish and dark blue tones for stands and sky, with color spots suggesting crowds without distracting. Stadium lights are simulated with radial gradients in "Screen" or "Overlay" mode, creating illumination hotspots on the field. Directional shadows under players and ball add depth and anchor the figures to the ground.
Lighting and Effects for Drama
Light flashes are added at the ball's impact point using "Sparkle" or "Glow" brushes ✨. Militão and Mbappé's celebrations receive subtle halos that highlight them as match heroes. The ball carries specular highlights to accentuate its speed, and the grass shows skid or spin marks after the shots. General contrast adjustments intensify the uniform whites and field greens, while the stands are slightly blurred with "Gaussian Blur" to keep focus on the action.
Export for Multiplatform
The file is saved in .XCF format to preserve layers and future edits 💾. For web, it is exported as .PNG with lossless compression; for print, as .TIFF at 300 dpi. Specific crops—like close-ups of the goals or celebrations—can be extracted for social media, with hashtags like #RealMadrid or #LaLiga. Each format ensures the illustration pays tribute to the victory both on screens and paper.
The Irony of Sporting Triumph
While Real Madrid keeps adding victories with spectacular goals, we keep celebrating when we park on the first try... even though our most memorable goal remains finding a spot downtown on a Saturday afternoon 😅.