Spanish coach Xabi Alonso, in press statements he made on Saturday, praised the phenomenal performance of French star Kylian Mbappe, stressing that the French national team captain is "about to enter Real Madrid's history" in a big way, to place himself among the legends, at the top of which is his idol, the Portuguese Cristiano Ronaldo.
Astronomical figures approaching the achievement of 2013
Kylian Mbappe is enjoying a brilliant period and an exceptional season statistically, as the numbers indicate that he has scored 55 goals in the Real Madrid jersey during 2025. With this terrifying scoring rate, the French star is only four goals away from equaling the enduring record achieved by Cristiano Ronaldo in 2013, when he scored 59 goals, which is the best number for any striker in the history of Real Madrid in one calendar year.
The number 10 shirt holder in the ranks of "Real Madrid" has become a hot topic for the Spanish and international press, which has begun to make increasing comparisons between him and the "Madeira Rocket", not only because of the abundance of goals, but also thanks to the growing leadership influence that Mbappe imposes on the team system and the decisive results in difficult times.
Alonso: Mbappe has the ambition of legends
In a press conference held on the eve of the anticipated match against Celta Vigo in the Spanish League, Alonso said: "Kylian is about to enter Real Madrid's history, just like Cristiano did. It's not just about his technical importance on the pitch, but also about the enormous ambition he instills in his teammates and the number of goals he consistently scores.".
The coach, who is very familiar with the inner workings of Real Madrid, added: "Kylian is among the elite in the world of football. He has an insatiable desire not only to perform well, but also to positively influence those around him. This is the most prominent common denominator with Cristiano: those contagious ambitions that inspire the rest of the team to fight. I already see clear similarities between the two in mentality and professionalism.".
Ronaldo's legacy and the challenges of the future
This comparison takes on particular significance given the immense legacy Cristiano Ronaldo left at the Santiago Bernabéu, where the Portuguese star (currently playing for Al-Nassr in Saudi Arabia) sits atop Real Madrid's all-time scoring charts with an astonishing 450 goals in 438 appearances. Mbappé's attempt to approach these numbers reflects the magnitude of his talent and the responsibility placed upon him.
Mbappé had previously won the European Golden Shoe and the La Liga top scorer title last season with 31 goals. This season, he is on an even faster and more lethal trajectory, having scored 16 goals in the first 15 La Liga matches, in addition to nine crucial goals in five Champions League games.
The decisive week: between La Liga and the Champions League
The 26-year-old star will have a date with destiny on Sunday against Celta Vigo (currently 12th with 16 points), as the match represents a golden opportunity to get closer to Ronaldo's 2013 record. This match serves as a final rehearsal before the highly anticipated Champions League clash on Wednesday, where Real Madrid will face Manchester City, led by coach Pep Guardiola and Norwegian striker Erling Haaland, in a match that could define the European season.
