Kylian Mbappe has seamlessly carried over his prolific goal-scoring form from Paris Saint-Germain to Real Madrid, reaching his 50th goal for Los Blancos in just his 64th appearance. The speed at which he has hit that milestone has naturally drawn comparisons to club legend Cristiano Ronaldo and when he first reached the same mark.
The French striker entered Real Madrid’s 2025–26 UEFA Champions League opener against Olympique Marseille with 48 goals to his name, needing two more to hit the half-century mark. After USMNT star Timothy Weah gave the visitors a shock lead, Mbappe stepped up to spark Madrid’s comeback.
Following a foul on Rodrygo inside the box, Mbappe calmly converted from the penalty spot in the 28th minute. Then, in the 81st, referee Irfan Pejto made a controversial handball call, handing Madrid a second penalty. Once again, Mbappe took responsibility, burying the spot-kick to seal the comeback and secure all three points in their UCL opener.
How long did it take Ronaldo to reach 50 goals?
Cristiano Ronaldo also hit the 50-goal mark in his second season at Real Madrid, though he did it significantly faster than Mbappe. The Portuguese star reached the milestone in just 54 games, 10 fewer than the Frenchman.
Cristiano Ronaldo of Real Madrid celebrates after scoring during the La Liga match between Real Madrid and Athletic Bilbao at Estadio Santiago Bernabeu on November 20, 2010 in Madrid, Spain.
Ronaldo’s 50th came in November 2010 against Athletic Bilbao in La Liga. Entering the match with 48 goals, he netted a hat trick to move to 51 in only 54 appearances, powering Madrid to a 5–1 win.
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Despite the gap, Mbappe has now become the fastest player to reach 50 goals for Real Madrid since Ronaldo set the standard in 2010. It follows his first career Golden Boot in the 2024–25 season, underlining his ability to maintain world-class consistency at the highest level.
The next milestone in sight is 100 goals for Real Madrid, a feat Mbappe is well positioned to reach if he keeps up his current pace. Ronaldo hit that benchmark in just 105 matches, setting yet another record for the Frenchman to chase.
