Kylian Mbappe’s transition to Real Madrid has not been without its critics. His performances have often been described as lukewarm, drawing significant scrutiny from fans and media alike.
Despite the barrage of criticism, the numbers speak volumes about his impact on the pitch and that is where an intriguing statistics takes shape.
Mbappe has more goals than Ronaldo
As per AS, Mbappe has actually outscored Cristiano Ronaldo at a similar juncture during their first seasons with Real Madrid.
At this stage, Mbappe has notched up 14 goals, surpassing Ronaldo’s 13 from his debut season in 2009.
Ronaldo, who came with much fanfare, chanting “one, two, three… Hala Madrid!” faced his own set of challenges, including injuries and suspensions, which limited him to 12 appearances out of 21 games before Christmas.
Mbappe has overtaken Ronaldo at the current juncture (Photo by Angel Martinez/Getty Images)
His tally included six goals in the Champions League and seven in La Liga, showcasing a rapid start before a dip due to injuries.
Mbappe, on the other hand, has had more games and minutes and his goal-scoring record remains impressive, especially considering his journey from a slow start to finding his rhythm with significant goals against teams like Betis, Real Sociedad, and Sevilla.
His current pace, although with a less impressive goals-per-minute ratio compared to Ronaldo’s one every 67 minutes, still places him at the forefront of Real Madrid’s scoring charts, along with Vinicius.
However, it must be noted that direct goals comparison is often a false or misleading method.
That said, Mbappe is feeling better with each passing game, with the player himself admitting that his adaptation period is finally over.
Keeping that in mind, it will be interesting to see whether or not the Frenchman can regain his groove in the new year.