Kylian Mbappé’s scoring streak for Madrid has some wondering if he’ll overtake Cristiano Ronaldo

MADRID — When Kylian Mbappé wheeled away in celebration after slotting his second-half finish past Valencia’s keeper on Sunday, the strike was more than just insurance in a 2-0 win. It was the France captain’s 23rd goal in 22 La Liga fixtures this season, a pace that has reignited an old debate inside the Spanish capital: can anyone eclipse Cristiano Ronaldo’s galáctico legacy?

Álvaro Arbeloa, who succeeded Xabi Alonso as first-team coach this year and shared a dressing room with Ronaldo from 2009-2016, believes the conversation is no longer theoretical.

“What Cristiano achieved seemed extraterrestrial, something impossible to match and no one could come close,” Arbeloa said after the match at Mestalla. “Mbappé has a long way to go because Cristiano was here for many years, but he has the conditions to follow in his footsteps, and you never know if he’ll be able to surpass him. But if anyone can, it’s Kylian.”

The numbers invite the comparison. Ronaldo left Madrid in 2018 with 451 goals in 438 competitive appearances, a benchmark once viewed as untouchable. Yet Mbappé, 27, equaled the Portuguese star’s single-year club-record of 59 goals in 2025 and has already amassed 43 goals in 35 appearances for club and country this season. His nine goals in seven matches to open 2026 are two games faster than his personal best from a year ago.

Mbappé has never hidden his admiration for his predecessor. After matching the 2013 record, he called Ronaldo “my idol, the best player in the history of Real Madrid and a reference point in world soccer. It’s an honor for me.”

Teammates are beginning to envision the same trajectory. Midfielder Aurélien Tchouaméni told Spanish outlets that Mbappé “has what it takes” to overhaul Ronaldo’s final tally, while Arbeloa lauded the forward’s current form.

“It’s a great fortune, because right now he’s the best player in the world with what he’s proving day in and day out, game after game,” the coach said.

Sunday’s victory, Madrid’s seventh straight in the league, moved the reigning champions within a point of Barcelona after 23 matches. Attention now turns to the Champions League, where José Mourinho’s Benfica awaits in the round of 16.

Off the pitch, Mbappé’s frustration with Sunday’s officiating—television microphones caught him labeling one referee a “clown” while disputing an offside decision—did little to overshadow another decisive performance. If the goals continue at this rate, the only remaining question may be how high the Frenchman can climb on the club’s all-time chart—and whether the name at the summit will one day read Kylian Mbappé instead of Cristiano Ronaldo.