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Kylian Mbappé Dreams, But Cristiano Ronaldo Already Did It: The Difference Between These Two Stars After 60 Games at Real Madrid
Kylian Mbappé arrived at Real Madrid dreaming of emulating his childhood idol, Cristiano Ronaldo. And while his debut was spectacular, the numbers after his first 60 matches show he still has a long way to go to reach the Portuguese legend.
Mbappé’s arrival at the Santiago Bernabéu was a dream start. The Frenchman won the Pichichi, the Golden Boot, and delivered the best debut season in the club’s history. His goals immediately made him the face of the project, and everything suggested he was ready to step up to the level of his idol, Cristiano Ronaldo.
However, the first review after 60 official appearances makes it clear that the Portuguese star played in another dimension. According to the numbers, Ronaldo scored 58 goals and added 19 assists in that span, for a total of 77 direct goal contributions. Mbappé, meanwhile, has 45 goals and just five assists, giving him 50 goal involvements—a gap of 27 decisive actions that is hard to ignore.
La Liga: Close Numbers, But With Key Differences
Looking only at La Liga, Mbappé has scored 32 goals in 35 matches—brilliant numbers that keep alive the hope of catching up to Cristiano’s record. The Portuguese forward, in his first 45 league games, netted 43 times, practically the same average.
The big difference lies in assists: Cristiano provided 15, while Mbappé has just three. The Frenchman has embraced the role of pure finisher, leaving aside the creativity and generosity that his idol showed in his early years.
Champions League: Cristiano’s Playground
In Europe, the gap is even bigger. Cristiano, the undisputed king of the Champions League, registered 11 goals and three assists in his first 12 appearances. Mbappé has only managed seven goals and one assist in 14 matches, with most of his strikes coming in the early stages. In the decisive rounds, he failed to score against Atlético Madrid and Arsenal, a stark contrast to Cristiano’s relentless hunger on the biggest nights.
Can He Catch Him?
The conclusion is clear: Mbappé is destined to leave his mark at Real Madrid, but his early numbers still fall short of the almost impossible standard set by Cristiano Ronaldo. The good news for the Frenchman is that his Bernabéu story is just beginning; the bad news is that the shadow of the club’s all-time top scorer will follow him every step of the way.
