Kylian Mbappe delivers his take on Cristiano Ronaldo after tying his Real Madrid record: ‘I wanted to give him a shout-out’

Although Real Madrid have not started the 2025-26 season in top form, Kylian Mbappe has managed to shine, leading the team through the crisis. Following this, the Frenchman has been crowned the cornerstone of the team, equaling Cristiano Ronaldo‘s record of 59 goals in a calendar year. Upon achieving this, the 27-year-old star made some surprising statements, talking about his relationship with the Portuguese and his key role in adapting to the team.

“It’s incredible, in my first [full] year to be able to do what Cristiano did. [He’s] my idol, the best player in Real Madrid‘s history. The celebration is for him. I wanted to give him a shout-out because he’s always been good to me, he’s helped me adapt to Madrid, and now it’s great to help Madrid win games. Today I wanted to share that with him. I have a very good relationship with him, he’s my friend now,” Kylian Mbappe said following the latest game vs Sevilla.

Kylian Mbappé has proven himself more than capable of leading Real Madrid. Since joining the club, he has netted 73 goals and recorded 10 assists across 83 matches. With his recent penalty goal against Sevilla, the Frenchman has notched 59 goals in 58 appearances, etching his name into the club’s storied history. At only 27 years old, he is poised to shatter many more records for the team.

While the Frenchman has already equaled the record, Cristiano Ronaldo still holds an insurmountable advantage in this category. The Portuguese star scored 59 goals in just 50 matches with Real Madrid, needing eight fewer games than Kylian. With this, the veteran shows his enormous impact at the club, as his scoring rate led him to become the club’s all-time leading scorer, something Mbappé is still a long way from matching.

Mbappe overcomes Cristiano’s scoring prowess with 27 years

Far from seeking to emulate Cristiano Ronaldo’s legacy, Kylian Mbappe has made it clear that he wants to write his own chapter in soccer history. Although the Frenchman has yet to win the Ballon d’Or or the UEFA Champions League, he has already begun to carve out a unique path in the sport that establishes him as one of the leaders of the current generation. In fact, he has already surpassed the Portuguese player in terms of goals scored, with both players aged 27.

According to OneFootball, Cristiano Ronaldo managed to score 272 goals and contribute 106 assists in 531 matches at just 27 years old. At the same age, Kylian Mbappé has clearly surpassed the Portuguese star by scoring 417 goals and providing 178 assists in 559 matches. For this reason, the Frenchman stands out with an impressive scoring rate as he chases the veteran’s imposing scoring record in the soccer history.

In case Kylian Mbappé looks to match or surpass Cristiano Ronaldo’s scoring dominance, he needs to maintain this scoring rate over the years, something the Portuguese star has managed by remaining the top scorer for Al Nassr. For this reason, the French star may be on a good path to breaking many records, but he still needs time to come close to matching Ronaldo at a historical scoring level.