Kylian Mbappe‘s arrival at Real Madrid last summer was hailed as the marquee signing of the season in the soccer world. However, his initial months with the team were challenging, and he faced criticism for his performances. Now, having settled into the squad, the French forward is showing his true potential and reached an accomplishment that even Cristiano Ronaldo couldn’t manage in his debut season.
On Saturday, Mbappe scored the equalizer in Real Madrid’s 1-1 draw against Atletico Madrid. Los Merengues found themselves trailing 1-0 after a Julian Alvarez penalty in the 35th minute. However, at the start of the second half, Kylian was in the right place at the right time to pounce on a rebound inside the box. With a precise right-footed strike, he brought his side level.
With that goal, the French star added a remarkable achievement to his growing list: in his debut season, he has now scored against both of Real Madrid’s main Spanish rivals—FC Barcelona and Atletico Madrid—while also finding the net in both finals the team has played so far this season.
Mbappe had already played a crucial role in Real Madrid‘s first title of the season, scoring in the 2-0 victory over Atalanta in the UEFA Super Cup. He also found the net in the 5-2 loss to Barcelona in the Spanish Super Cup final earlier this January. Now, with his goal against Atletico Madrid, he has further cemented his importance to the team in his first season.
How Cristiano Ronaldo fared in his first season
Cristiano Ronaldo joined Real Madrid in the summer of 2009, at the age of 24, just slightly younger than Mbappe is now. However, in his debut season, CR7 was unable to score in either of the derbies against Atletico Madrid. Against Barcelona, he missed one match due to an ankle injury and failed to score in the other, which resulted in a harsh loss.
Additionally, that season saw Real Madrid eliminated early from both the UEFA Champions League and Copa del Rey, meaning Ronaldo did not feature in any finals during his first campaign with the club.
Despite the challenges, Cristiano’s first season was still a remarkable one. He played 35 games, scored 33 goals, and provided 10 assists—impressive numbers that he would go on to surpass in subsequent seasons. So far, Mbappe is on a similar trajectory. After 34 appearances, the French forward has netted 23 goals and registered 4 assists, and with a significant portion of the season left, he is in a strong position to challenge Ronaldo’s debut season numbers.
Real Madrid stay top of La Liga
Real Madrid remain at the top of the La Liga standings, but Saturday’s match against Atletico Madrid presented a major test. With their rivals in second place, just one point behind, a defeat would have seen Los Merengues lose their position at the summit.
Mbappe’s goal was pivotal, allowing Real Madrid to retain their place at the top of La Liga. On Sunday, Barcelona will face Sevilla, and should the Catalan side win, they will close the gap to just two points behind Real Madrid and one behind Atletico Madrid, tightening the race for the title even further.