Mbappe Sets Sights on Shattering Ronaldo's Legendary Champions League Milestone
Real Madrid forward Kylian Mbappé stands on the verge of surpassing Cristiano Ronaldo's record for most goals scored in a Champions League group stage/league phase, needing just one more strike.
Since joining the Spanish capital club before the 2024–25 campaign, Mbappé has been steadily carving his name above Ronaldo's in the record books. The French striker netted more goals in his first season than any previous player wearing the famous white jersey, and also exceeded his hero by recording the most goals in a calendar year for a Real Madrid player.
In the 2025–26 season alone, Mbappé has already scored 34 times for the Spanish powerhouse, with 11 of those strikes coming in Champions League action. Ronaldo remains the only other player to reach that benchmark before the knockout phase, maintaining his record of 11 group stage goals for the past ten years.
However, with one remaining league phase fixture ahead for Los Blancos, Mbappé could once more surpass the five-time Ballon d'Or recipient to add another historic achievement to his impressive career.
Comparing Ronaldo's Champions League Feat to Mbappé's
Comparing Ronaldo's Champions League Feat to Mbappé's
Ronaldo's 2015–16 Group Stage Campaign
Ronaldo's 2015–16 Group Stage Campaign
Ronaldo established the benchmark for most goals in a Champions League group stage during the 2015–16 campaign. The Real Madrid icon netted 11 goals across the club's six group stage encounters.
The achievement becomes even more remarkable considering that Ronaldo failed to score in either of Los Blancos' clashes with PSG. In reality, the striker required only four matches to register 11 goals.
Ronaldo launched Real Madrid's 2015–16 Champions League journey with a hat-trick against Shakhtar Donetsk before a capacity Bernabéu audience. He subsequently delivered a double in the club's 2–0 triumph over Malmö.
The Spanish club then met PSG both home and away, with the sole goal from those two encounters surprisingly coming from center-back Nacho's left foot. Ronaldo compensated for his quiet spell by netting twice away at Shakhtar Donetsk in the following fixture.
To conclude an outstanding campaign, the Portugal skipper scored four times at home versus Malmö to create Champions League group stage history. Unsurprisingly, Los Blancos claimed the trophy that season.
Opponent | Goals |
|---|---|
Shakhtar Donetsk (H) | Three |
Malmö (A) | Two |
PSG (A) | Zero |
PSG (H) | Zero |
Shakhtar Donetsk (H) | Two |
Malmö (H) | Four |
Mbappé's 2025–26 League Phase Campaign
Mbappé's 2025–26 League Phase Campaign
Mbappé has thus far equaled Ronaldo's goal count in the same number of Champions League league phase matches. The French forward scored both goals in his team's 2–1 win over Marseille, then delivered a hat-trick against FC Kairat.
Similar to Ronaldo, Mbappé was then silenced in his subsequent two fixtures. The 27-year-old failed to find the net against Juventus or Liverpool.
He certainly made amends, however, when he struck four times against Olympiacos three weeks later. Mbappé would have hoped to continue his scoring form against Manchester City in Real Madrid's following league phase match, but the striker was sidelined with a knee problem.
After the winter hiatus, Mbappé showed no compassion against his previous team, recording a brace in Los Blancos' 6–1 demolition of Monaco. Those two goals placed the France captain level with Ronaldo in Champions League folklore.
The newly expanded league phase format, however, provides Mbappé with an additional opportunity to eclipse his childhood idol. Real Madrid will meet Benfica in their league phase conclusion on Wednesday evening at the Estádio da Luz, and just one more goal for the attacker would be sufficient to shatter the decade-old record.
Opponent | Goals |
|---|---|
Marseille (H) | Two |
FC Kairat (A) | Three |
Juventus (H) | Zero |
Liverpool (A) | Zero |
Olympiacos (A) | Four |
Man City (H) | N/A |
Monaco (H) | Two |
Benfica (A) | TBD |
*Still ongoing
Could Mbappé Break Ronaldo's All-Time Champions League Goal Record?
Could Mbappé Break Ronaldo's All-Time Champions League Goal Record?
Even should Mbappé eclipse Ronaldo's group stage/league phase achievement, he continues pursuing a far greater milestone. Ronaldo netted 17 goals during Los Blancos' Champions League triumph in 2013–14, representing the highest single-campaign total in Europe's elite club tournament.
The new face of Real Madrid sits just six goals short of equaling that mark, and the knockout rounds haven't even commenced. Should Los Blancos advance deep into the competition under new manager Álvaro Arbeloa, Mbappé could have multiple opportunities to reach 17 goals—and potentially exceed it.
Indeed, if the Spanish giants reach the semifinals, that represents six additional matches for Mbappé to torment opposing defenses. A final appearance would provide seven more opportunities.
Given Mbappé's current scoring pace, it would be unwise to dismiss his chances of matching and potentially exceeding Ronaldo's benchmark. Everything will hinge, however, on the Frenchman's fitness and Real Madrid's knockout stage progression.