Kylian Mbappe’s Form Key to Real Madrid’s Trophy Hopes This Season
Kylian Mbappe’s outstanding performances will be crucial in Real Madrid’s pursuit of trophies this season. The French star scored twice in their 2-1 La Liga win against Villarreal, keeping Carlo Ancelotti’s team firmly in the title race.
Mbappe will now head off to international duty with France before a critical stretch of games to end the season. Alongside their efforts to defend the Spanish title, Ancelotti’s side will face Real Sociedad in the Copa del Rey semi-final second leg and Arsenal in the UEFA Champions League quarter-finals.
With 20 goals in La Liga and 31 in all competitions, Mbappe is committed to finishing the season on a high. The former PSG forward admitted that he was frustrated with his early months in Madrid due to minor injuries but has significantly improved since the start of 2025.
His tally of 31 goals places him 4th on the list of Real Madrid players with the most goals in their debut season, surpassing Brazilian legend Ronaldo Nazario, who scored 30 goals in 2002/03. Mbappe is now targeting Cristiano Ronaldo and Ruud van Nistelrooy, who both scored 33 goals in their debut seasons in 2009/10 and 2006/07.
The record for most goals in a debut season is held by Chilean icon Ivan Zamorano, who scored 37 goals in 1992/93. Mbappe is confident of surpassing this 32-year record in 2025.
Despite the impressive goal-scoring feats of these past Real Madrid legends, none of them won the Champions League in those seasons. Only Ronaldo Nazario and Van Nistelrooy’s debut years saw Real Madrid win La Liga, while Ronaldo and Zamorano both experienced a title race where Barcelona finished as the Spanish champions.
