Mbappe Hits 400 Goals: How the French Superstar Stacks Up Against Messi and Ronaldo's Legendary Records

Kylian Mbappé achieved another spectacular landmark during the November international window as he continues to establish himself as a force in contemporary football.

The Real Madrid forward found the net twice in France's commanding 4–0 triumph over Ukraine, securing Les Bleus' qualification for the 2026 FIFA World Cup while reaching his 400th senior goal across club and international competitions throughout his remarkable career.

Reaching such extraordinary levels has become routine for Mbappé, whose exceptional ability appears limitless. He persistently challenges expectations and pursues the benchmarks established by legends like Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo.

But how does Mbappé stack up against Ronaldo and Messi upon reaching 400 career goals? Let's examine the comparison.

Age

Mbappé is undoubtedly positioned to surpass the remarkable scoring achievements of Messi and Ronaldo. The French striker stands as the youngest player since Pelé to achieve 400 goals and ranks second in the historical list.

Messi was merely about five months senior to Mbappé when he reached the 400-goal milestone, accomplishing this in 2014 at just 27 years, three months and three days old. Apart from Mbappé and Pelé, only German striker Gerd Müller reached this achievement at a younger age than the eight-time Ballon d'Or recipient.

Ronaldo required additional time to enter the 400-goal club. He was more than two years senior to Mbappé at 28 years, 11 months and one day, positioning him as the seventh-youngest player to accomplish this milestone in football history.

If he can maintain the career longevity of Messi and Ronaldo, Mbappé possesses the potential to eclipse their scoring records.

Games Played

While Mbappé may be the youngest player to reach 400 goals in the 21st century, Messi achieved this figure in fewer matches than the French star. The former Barcelona maestro needed only 525 games to reach this total, maintaining an average of one goal every 1.3 matches.

Mbappé came close to Messi's efficiency, requiring just 537 appearances. The bulk of his goals and matches occurred with Paris Saint-Germain—precisely 256 goals in 308 games—though he has also contributed significantly for Monaco, Madrid and France.

Again, Ronaldo took longer to reach this benchmark. The Portuguese forward needed 653 matches, though he currently holds the record for most officially recognized goals in football history, having become increasingly prolific in his later career.

Trophies Won

Ronaldo's pride will take another hit in this category. When he scored his 400th career goal, the five-time Ballon d'Or winner had collected 13 trophies overall, which represents a solid achievement but falls behind the collections of Mbappé and Messi. The Portugal captain had secured three Premier League titles, the Champions League and La Liga among other honors.

Both Mbappé and Messi had raised 20 trophies by their 400th career goal, though the latter possessed the more prestigious titles. Three Champions League victories were secured with Barcelona alongside six La Liga championships and two Copa del Rey triumphs.

Mbappé has claimed Ligue 1 on seven occasions with two different teams, while capturing the FIFA World Cup with France at age 19 represents an extraordinary accomplishment. However, without Champions League or La Liga titles in his collection, his trophy room lacks the same prestige as Messi's.

*Excluding Olympic Games