Kylian Mbappe completes second trophyless season: How many have Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo suffered in their careers?

Kylian Mbappe‘s latest season has ended without a major trophy for either club or country, placing the Real Madrid and France superstar in unfamiliar territory. Compared with Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo, whose careers have become synonymous with winning, Mbappe now faces growing questions about whether this difficult spell is merely a temporary setback or the beginning of a larger challenge.

The France national team also finishes the campaign without silverware after the dissappointing 2026 World Cup exit, adding to the disappointment after Real Madrid fell short in every major competition. Individual brilliance has never been in doubt, but soccer’s biggest prizes have once again slipped away from one of the game’s brightest stars.

Mbappe arrived at Real Madrid in summer 2024 carrying enormous expectations after years of success with Paris Saint-Germain. Although he has continued to score at an elite level, his first two seasons in Spain have both ended without a major collective trophy, despite winning consecutive Pichichi awards and scoring 86 goals in his first 103 appearances for Los Blancos.

The French forward also misses out on this year’s Ballon d’Or race after Madrid failed to capture La Liga, the UEFA Champions League, the Copa del Rey, or the Spanish Super Cup, while France also ends the international campaign empty-handed.

However, Mbappe has now completed exactly two senior trophyless seasons, both coming consecutively during the 2024-25 and 2025-26 campaigns. Before joining Madrid, he had collected 18 major trophies, including the 2018 World Cup and multiple Ligue 1 titles with Paris Saint-Germain.

How many trophyless seasons has Lionel Messi endured?

Mbappe’s current drought inevitably invites comparisons with the two players who have defined modern soccer for nearly two decades.

Even though Lionel Messi built one of the most decorated careers in soccer history, he also endured periods when Barcelona failed to lift silverware. The Argentine completed three trophyless seasons during his senior career: 2006-07, 2007-08, and 2019-20. His longest barren spell lasted two consecutive campaigns before everything changed under Pep Guardiola.

Following those difficult years, Messi spearheaded Barcelona’s historic 2008-09 sextuple, winning La Liga, the Copa del Rey, the UEFA Champions League, the Spanish Super Cup, the UEFA Super Cup, and the FIFA Club World Cup. Years later, after the disappointment of 2019-20, he inspired Argentina to win the 2021 Copa America before finally lifting the 2022 World Cup.

How many trophyless seasons has Cristiano Ronaldo endured?

Cristiano Ronaldo also discovered that sustained success is never guaranteed, regardless of individual excellence. The Portuguese legend experienced multiple trophyless campaigns, beginning with his early Manchester United years before later enduring difficult seasons during his return to Old Trafford and the start of his Saudi Arabian adventure.

His setbacks, however, were followed by equally remarkable rebounds. After his first barren season, Ronaldo became the centerpiece of Manchester United’s dominant era, helping the club win three consecutive Premier League titles, the 2007-08 UEFA Champions League, and his first Ballon d’Or.

Later, after Real Madrid’s disappointing 2014-15 season, Ronaldo responded by leading the Spanish giant to three consecutive Champions League titles, cementing his legacy as one of the competition’s greatest performers.

Mbappe continues producing elite individual performances

Despite Madrid’s collective struggles, Mbappe has remained among soccer’s most productive attackers. He finished the latest campaign with 42 goals across all competitions, while continuing to rank among Europe’s leading scorers.

His consistency mirrors situations Messi and Ronaldo also experienced during their careers. Messi famously scored 51 goals during the 2018-19 season, while Ronaldo struck 55 goals in 2012-13 and 61 goals in 2014-15, yet both campaigns ended with disappointment because their clubs failed to secure the biggest prizes available.