Mbappé moves above Cristiano Ronaldo in Real Madrid history

Despite everything—despite all the noise, the criticism, even the whistles—they’re still there: 36 goals and knocking on the door of history. Under constant scrutiny, caught in the eye of an unrelenting debate, he keeps delivering. Say what you will. But the numbers are proof enough: his first season, even if not flawless, has been brilliant.

He’s already surpassed Cristiano Ronaldo’s debut tally, he’s just one strike away from being the league’s top scorer, and if that weren’t enough, one more goal would make him the most prolific debutant in the club’s history. Mbappé’s numbers? Yes, they’re very much there.

He’s hitting full stride at just the right time. After that rough sprain against Arsenal—not serious, but not exactly minor either—he returned with fire: one goal against Barcelona, then a brace against Celta (and nearly a hat trick, had he not launched a sitter into the sky in stoppage time). Those three goals didn’t just boost his total—they marked the overtaking of el Bicho and brought him even closer to footballing immortality.

Cristiano Ronaldo scored 33 goals in his first season at Real Madrid. Kylian already has 36. He reached 14 goals faster than Cristiano, who had 13 at the same point. There’s some nuance, of course: Cristiano missed 13 games that season—10 due to injury, 3 to suspension—while Mbappé has only missed six (one through suspension). Cristiano had a better goals-per-minute ratio (one every 88 minutes), while Kylian scores one every 118. But he’s played more. And still—goals are goals. And he’s scored them.

That tally of 36? Not one is a header. Strange, but true. He’s scored 24 in La Liga, seven in the Champions League, two in the Copa del Rey, one in the UEFA Super Cup, one in the Intercontinental Cup, and one in the Spanish Super Cup. Of those, 30 were with his right foot, six with his left. Some were breakaways, others from distance, and a few were free kicks. But none with his head. Not yet.

Even so, history is within reach. One more goal and he’ll match Iván Zamorano’s record: 37 goals in his debut season at Real Madrid (1992–93, in 45 games). Mbappé has already surpassed Cristiano Ronaldo’s 33 (in 35 games), Van Nistelrooy’s 33 (in 47 games), Ronaldo Nazário’s 30 (in 44 games), and Hugo Sánchez’s 29 (in 49 games). The mark is close. Very close.

It’s absolutely within reach. Lewandowski’s recent injury has stalled his momentum, leaving him stuck at 25 goals—just one ahead of Mbappé, who sits at 24. And fate, ever the dramatist, has set the stage for a head-to-head showdown between them. After Montjuïc, only three matchdays remain. LaLiga is heading for a final sprint—Bolt-style—to decide who claims the crown. (As for Budimir, sitting third with 18, that dream’s already out of reach.)

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Ladies and gentlemen, these are Mbappé’s numbers. Numbers delivered with the weight of expectation on every big night. Numbers delivered despite still needing that elusive headed goal. But facts are facts.

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