Kylian Mbappé has equaled Cristiano Ronaldo’s goal tally in his debut season at Real Madrid, setting the stage for a potentially historic 2024-25 campaign.
Since Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo redefined expectations for elite goalscorers, Mbappé was always destined to face intense scrutiny at Madrid. The heightened analysis of modern football and the pressure on marquee signings only intensified the challenge of proving himself immediately.
Realistically, even a talent of Mbappé’s caliber might need time to adapt, especially when integrating into an attack featuring Jude Bellingham, Vinícius Júnior, and Rodrygo. But patience isn’t exactly a hallmark of today’s football culture.
His scoreless start in three La Liga matches had critics circling, conveniently ignoring his debut goal against Atalanta in the UEFA Super Cup. When he responded with six goals in his next five outings, detractors dismissed three as penalties. A dry spell of one goal in seven games—including a 4-0 El Clásico drubbing and a 3-1 home loss to AC Milan in the Champions League—fueled skepticism. A missed penalty in a high-profile 2-0 defeat at Liverpool only added to the growing doubts, with the term “flop” trending worldwide.
Of course, none of that actually happened—but the reaction wouldn’t have been surprising. Fans are always eager to seize any opportunity to criticize.
It’s true that Mbappé initially struggled to find his rhythm in Madrid. Adjusting to new teammates wasn’t seamless, and the squad itself needed to recalibrate. Madrid had dominated the previous season, losing just once en route to league and European glory, but integrating a superstar into an already elite side was never going to be effortless.
His arrival forced tactical shifts—Bellingham could no longer operate as the furthest forward, a role in which he netted 23 times last season. Meanwhile, Vinícius had to navigate sharing space with another left-sided attacker. Given Mbappé’s excellence when drifting from center to the left, restricting him from his strengths would have made little sense.
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Mbappé’s Form Surges as He Matches Ronaldo’s Debut Season Tally
After a slow start, however, Mbappé’s output has improved markedly. Things have clicked in a 4-4-2 formation in which more is asked defensively of Vinícius and Rodrygo than maybe either of them would like or are used to, while Bellingham has to take up deeper positions. The England international has scored 13 goals this season, so would need another 10 in the remaining two months to match last season’s tally.
However, as a four, they are producing huge numbers, and there appears to be no problem with Mbappé’s suitability to playing alongside the other three.
He has gathered a great deal of momentum and the goals have flowed increasingly freely. Following the Liverpool game in late November, he scored five goals (no penalties) in his next six games, and shortly afterwards, his goalscoring really took off. Since scoring in the Spanish Super Cup defeat to Barcelona in January, Mbappé has 19 goals in his last 18 Madrid appearances.
He now has 33 goals in all competitions this season, which is some return for a player whose move apparently wasn’t working out a few months ago. It is a total, in fact, that a certain Madrid legend managed in his first season at the club.
Back in 2009-10, Cristiano Ronaldo racked up 33 goals in his debut season at the Santiago Bernabéu. Ronaldo, of course, would go on to become Madrid’s all-time leading goalscorer with 450 goals for the club. It’s a record that may never be broken.
However, after Mbappé drew level with Ronaldo thanks to his brace against Leganés last weekend, manager Carlo Ancelotti suggested there’s reason to believe the Frenchman can emulate Ronaldo’s achievements.
Can Mbappé Replicate Ronaldo’s Legacy at Madrid?
“What I can hope for is that Mbappé can achieve what Cristiano Ronaldo achieved at Real Madrid,” he said. “I think he has the possibility to do it. If he does that, he’ll be a legend at Real Madrid like Cristiano Ronaldo is.”
Ronaldo was one year younger (24) than Mbappé (25) when he joined Madrid from Manchester United, and he scored at an utterly ridiculous rate over his nine seasons at the club. Following that relatively goal-shy first campaign, Ronaldo hit 50+ goals in his next six campaigns (and more than 60 twice), before hitting 42 and 44 in his final two years. He scored at better than a goal a game over his entire Madrid career.
Even speculating that Mbappé could emulate Ronaldo is a pretty far-fetched idea, but Mbappé’s start has actually been better than the Portugal legend – assuming he scores at least one more goal this season. (It is worth noting that Mbappé’s cause has been aided by the fact that he’s already played 10 more games in his debut season than Ronaldo did in his due to better availability and there being more matches these days.)
With 22 goals in La Liga alone, Mbappé requires just four more (with nine matches left) to equal Ronaldo’s debut-season total of 26. The iconic Alfredo Di Stéfano set the record for the most league goals in a debut Real Madrid campaign with 27 in 1953-54, giving Mbappé a strong opportunity to surpass that milestone as well.
Can Mbappé Make His Debut Season Even More Historic?
The record for most La Liga goals in a debut season for any club belongs to the other Ronaldo, who netted 34 times for Barcelona in 1996-97. Pruden Sánchez recorded 33 for Atlético Madrid in 1940-41, while Romário hit 30 for Barça in 1993-94—making them the only other players to surpass the 30-goal mark in their first La Liga campaign.
That milestone remains a challenge for Mbappé, but with eight goals needed in his last nine matches, it’s not out of reach—especially given his current scoring form.
He netted his first 14 goals in 27 appearances from an expected goals (xG) tally of 18.9. However, his last 19 goals, scored in just 18 matches, have come from only 12.6 xG. This highlights how Madrid’s attack has gelled, with Mbappé now playing with the confidence expected of him.
Following a thrilling 4-4 draw with Real Sociedad on Tuesday, which secured Madrid’s place in the Copa del Rey final after extra time, a treble remains possible. However, with a three-point gap behind Barcelona in La Liga and three rounds left in the Champions League, there’s plenty of work ahead. Their ongoing defensive vulnerabilities—inevitable after prioritizing Mbappé over adding a central midfielder—were evident against Sociedad, offering encouragement to future opponents.
Even so, the treble is still within reach. Ronaldo won no trophies in his first Madrid season, meaning Mbappé could enjoy a more successful debut campaign. Looking beyond this season, whether he can replicate Ronaldo’s long-term impact is another question entirely. But based on his current form, those hoping he will be an expensive flop are likely to be disappointed.
FAQs
Has Kylian Mbappé matched Cristiano Ronaldo’s goal tally in his first Real Madrid season?
Yes, Mbappé has already equaled Ronaldo’s 33-goal haul from his debut season at Real Madrid in 2009-10.
Can Mbappé break the record for most La Liga goals in a debut season?
With 22 La Liga goals and nine matches left, Mbappé needs just six more to surpass Alfredo Di Stéfano’s record (27) and 13 to break Ronaldo Nazário’s all-time debut record (34).
How has Mbappé’s goal-scoring form improved during the season?
After a slow start, he has scored 19 goals in his last 18 matches, significantly outperforming his expected goals (xG) tally.
Is a historic treble still possible for Real Madrid this season?
Yes, Madrid remains in contention for La Liga, the Champions League, and the Copa del Rey, but they face tough challenges ahead.
Could Mbappé achieve the same legendary status as Cristiano Ronaldo at Real Madrid?
According to Carlo Ancelotti, Mbappé has the potential to match Ronaldo’s legacy if he continues at this level.
