It seems unbelievable to think that a Real Madrid player could be compared to Cristiano Ronaldo’s goal-scoring pace. Yet Kylian Mbappé, in just over a season at the Santiago Bernabéu, is approaching the Portuguese’s numbers—and this season is even surpassing them.
The Frenchman has scored 9 goals in 7 La Liga matches, averaging 1.28 goals per game. For comparison, CR7’s best record came in the 2014/15 season when he netted 61 goals in 54 appearances (an average of 1.12).
Despite Ronaldo’s extraordinary form, that season did not deliver the biggest trophies for Carlo Ancelotti’s Real Madrid. Mbappé, however, showed his power right from his first season with Los Blancos, scoring 44 goals in 59 appearances—an average of 0.74 per match—matching his personal best from his final campaign with PSG.
Since joining the “Kings,” he now has 53 goals in 66 matches, or 0.8 per game.
This statistic places the Frenchman ahead of legends such as Alfredo Di Stéfano (0.78), Hugo Sánchez (0.73), Karim Benzema (0.55), Santillana (0.45), and Raúl González (0.44). Only Cristiano Ronaldo (1.03) and Ferenc Puskás (0.92) remain above him.
Beyond the numbers, Mbappé has also evolved in terms of personality. From a cautious start in a star-studded dressing room, he has now become a leader. His body language, communication with teammates, and goal celebrations reveal a player determined to shoulder the weight of Real Madrid.
His two goals in the 4-1 win over Levante came at a decisive moment when the game was in doubt, making the Frenchman the central protagonist. Even penalties—an area where he once showed uncertainty—have become a weapon this season, with four converted flawlessly for Los Blancos and another for France.
Now the big question is: how far can Mbappé go? With such a powerful start to the 2025/26 season, the Frenchman looks capable of reaching—or even surpassing—the “Cristiano” average of one goal per match, a level Ronaldo maintained for six of his nine seasons at Real Madrid. The very fact that the comparison is possible speaks volumes about Mbappé’s extraordinary level and his devastating start to this season.
