Kylian Mbappe Achieves Milestone with Real Madrid
Kylian Mbappe once again proved to be Real Madrid's match-winner on Tuesday, scoring two penalties against Marseille in the Champions League, which brought his total to 50 goals for the club.
He reached this remarkable milestone in just 64 appearances, the fastest for Real Madrid since Cristiano Ronaldo, who accomplished the feat in only 54 matches following his transfer from Manchester United in 2009.
In comparison, former Real striker Karim Benzema took 106 games to reach the same tally, while Mbappe's teammate Vinicius Jr. required 200 appearances.
The five-time Ballon d'Or winner Ronaldo went on to secure four Champions League titles and two La Liga titles during his nine years at Real Madrid, amassing a club record of 450 goals.
Although Mbappe did not secure a domestic trophy in his first season at the Bernabeu and missed out on his first Champions League title, which was won by his former club Paris St-Germain, he has since added a new dynamic to Real's attacking play.
Last season, he scored 44 goals in 56 matches across all competitions, and he has continued this impressive form into the current campaign, netting six goals in five games.
This summer, Mbappe took on the iconic number 10 shirt, which was left vacant by Luka Modric's departure and has been worn by Real legends such as Ferenc Puskas and Luis Figo.
"I do what the boss asks me to do," said World Cup winner Mbappe after the victory against Marseille. "I want to help the team—whether that means scoring goals, pressing, or providing assists."
In addition to his achievements at Real, Mbappe recently surpassed Thierry Henry to become France's second-highest all-time scorer.
He also holds the record for most goals at PSG, with 256 goals since joining the club from Monaco in 2017.
Real Madrid remains the most successful club in the history of the Champions League and European Cup, having lifted the trophy 15 times, including six times in the last 12 seasons.
Tuesday's victory also marked two significant milestones for the club: Real Madrid became the first team to win 200 Champions League matches (excluding the European Cup) and the first to score 700 goals in the competition, which is 68 goals more than the next closest team.