Comparing Kylian Mbappe’s record at Real Madrid after 30 matches with Cristiano Ronaldo’s
Kylian Mbappe has now made 30 appearances for Real Madrid, but how does his record compare with Cristiano Ronaldo’s after the same number of matches?
It’s no secret that Mbappe idolised Ronaldo while growing up and while the Frenchman now ranks as one of the best footballers in the world, he’s going to find it tough to match CR7’s legacy in Spain.
The Portuguese superstar made his record move to Madrid in the summer of 2009 and it didn’t take him long to acclimatise to the level.
While Real Madrid did endure a trophyless season in 2009-10, that was through no fault of Ronaldo who scored 33 goals across all competitions in his debut season.
Despite missing seven weeks of the season through injury that year, CR7 still finished the campaign as the club’s top scorer.
He also scored from six direct free-kicks during his first year in Spain and averaged a goal or assist every 75.1 minutes which is some going.
In terms of Mbappe, he’s already won two pieces of silverware with Madrid having already won the UEFA Super Cup and FIFA Intercontinental Cup. We wouldn’t be surprised if he adds a few more to his collection come May either.
However, while Real Madrid have already won some silverware this year, there is a feeling amongst Madrid fans that they are yet to see the best version of Mbappe, who can be a popular pick on UK betting sites for football.
His confidence seemed to take a knock following penalty misses against Liverpool and Athletic Club, although he has managed to rediscover some form in recent weeks, having scored seven goals in his last nine matches.
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“I don’t feel the pressure,” Mbappe said after scoring his first league goal for the club in September.
“I don’t think about Cristiano, with all due respect to him. Cristiano is my idol, yes. But no, I don’t want to follow anything.
“I don’t want that pressure. I want to be Kylian. I only have the pressure of having to adapt to the team.”
As of writing, Mbappe has scored 18 goals in his first 30 appearances for the club and he’s averaging a goal contribution every 109.8 minutes. If he wants to catch up to Ronaldo, he’ll need to bump up those numbers.
Following an up-and-down first few months at the club, Carlo Ancelotti now thinks that Mbappe’s ‘adaptation period’ is over and that he’s ready to take the league by storm.
“I don’t know if he’s more of a leader or not. Every day he seeks more prominence that comes with what he does on the pitch,” Ancelotti told reporters.
“His attitude off the pitch hasn’t changed, he’s always calm, available and very humble. He’s performing at a very high level and that helps, especially for his teammates.
“His adaptation period is over, I said that a month ago. I feel as though he’s getting better with every game.”
Here’s the full breakdown of how Mbappe’s Real Madrid record compares with Ronaldo’s after 30 matches:
Kylian Mbappe’s Real Madrid record:
Games: 30
Goals: 18
Assists: 4
Penalties: 4
Free-kicks: 0
Minutes per goal: 134.2
Minutes per non-penalty goal: 172.5
Minutes per goal or assist: 109.8
READ: Comparing Kylian Mbappe’s record now to Lionel Messi & Cristiano Ronaldo at the age of 26
Cristiano Ronaldo’s Real Madrid record after 30 matches:
Games: 30
Goals: 27
Assists: 6
Penalties: 3
Free-kicks: 6
Minutes per goal: 91.8
Minutes per non-penalty goal: 103.3
Minutes per goal or assist: 75.1