Mbappe Shatters Champions League Record, Surpassing Football Legend in Historic Achievement
Kylian Mbappé has etched another Champions League milestone into his remarkable career record, overtaking Ruud van Nistelrooy to claim the position as the tournament's sixth-highest scorer of all time.
The French striker once more proved decisive for Real Madrid during a thrilling 2–1 triumph against Marseille. Mbappé netted twice from penalty kicks to deliver victory for Los Blancos in what marked Xabi Alonso's debut Champions League fixture as manager of the 15-time European titleholders.
This double strike elevates Mbappé's European tally to 57 goals at the young age of 26. The France captain has now climbed above Van Nistelrooy in the tournament's historical scoring rankings and shares sixth position with Thomas Müller, achieving this milestone across just 88 Champions League matches.
Discover how the Real Madrid star measures against the greatest Champions League marksmen in history below:
Top 10 Champions League Goalscorers in History
Rank | Player | Goals |
|---|---|---|
1 | Cristiano Ronaldo | 140 |
2 | Lionel Messi | 129 |
3 | Roberto Lewandowski | 105 |
4 | Karim Benzema | 90 |
5 | Raúl | 71 |
T-6 | Thomas Müller | 57 |
T-6 | Kylian Mbappé | 57 |
8 | Ruud van Nistelrooy | 56 |
9 | Thierry Henry | 50 |
10 | Erling Haaland | 49 |
*Excludes qualifying goals.
While Mbappé remains considerably behind the legendary trio of Cristiano Ronaldo, Lionel Messi and Robert Lewandowski, he continues progressing toward becoming one of Europe's most lethal scorers in history.
Indeed, the attacker requires just a single additional goal to surpass Müller and claim outright ownership of sixth position.
This Champions League achievement arrives during an exceptional beginning to Mbappé's 2025–26 season. The forward tops Real Madrid's scoring charts with six goals across five matches. His penalty double helped Los Blancos overcome Marseille on an evening when the hosts lost both starting right-backs at different stages. Trent Alexander-Arnold appeared to suffer a hamstring problem while Dani Carvajal received a direct red card dismissal.
Following his transfer to the Spanish capital, Mbappé has found the net 50 times in 64 matches wearing the famous white jersey. Any concerns regarding his gradual adaptation from Paris Saint-Germain to Real Madrid have become nothing but a fading recollection.
How Many Games Did it Take Kylian Mbappé Compared to Ruud van Nistelrooy?
As noted, Mbappé achieved 57 goals across 88 total matches. Van Nistelrooy reached his 56-goal milestone more efficiently in 73 appearances, though naturally Mbappé now targets higher positions on the scoring table after surpassing the Dutch legend.