MADRID (AP) 鈥� Kylian Mbapp茅’s latest impressive scoring run with Real Madrid has brought up comparisons to Cristiano Ronaldo.
After Mbapp茅 scored his 23rd goal in 22 Spanish league games in on Sunday, coach 脕lvaro Arbeloa said the France striker could be well on his way to matching the success of Ronaldo at the Spanish powerhouse.
鈥淲hat Cristiano achieved seemed extraterrestrial, something impossible to match and no one could come close,鈥� Arbeloa said. “Mbapp茅 has a long way to go because Cristiano was here for many years, but he has the conditions to follow in his footsteps, and you never know if he鈥檒l be able to surpass him. But if anyone can, it鈥檚 Kylian.鈥�
The 41-year-old Ronaldo, currently playing in Saudi Arabia, played for Madrid from 2009-18, breaking nearly every club record.
The 27-year-old Mbapp茅 joined the Spanish powerhouse last season and quickly matched some of the numbers of the Portugal star. Mbapp茅 scored 59 goals in 2025 to equal’s Ronaldo’s club-record tally in 2013.
At the time, Mbapp茅 called Ronaldo his 鈥渋dol, the best player in the history of Real Madrid and a reference point in world soccer. It鈥檚 an honor for me.鈥�
Mbapp茅 started this year on a roll and with even better numbers, having scored nine goals in seven matches. He needed 11 games to reach nine goals last year. He has 43 goals in 35 appearances for club and country this season.
鈥淚t鈥檚 a great fortune, because right now he鈥檚 the best player in the world with what he鈥檚 proving day in and day out, game after game,” Arbeloa said of Mbapp茅.
Arbeloa, who took over the club’s helm this year to replace Xabi Alonso, was a former Madrid defender who was a teammate of Ronaldo at Madrid, playing six seasons with him from 2009-2016.
Mbapp茅鈥檚 France and Madrid teammate Aur茅lien Tchouam茅ni also was among those saying Mbapp茅 has what it takes to surpass Ronaldo鈥檚 numbers with Madrid, according to Spanish media.
Ronaldo left the Spanish club with 451 goals in 438 competitive appearances.
Mbapp茅 criticizes referee
Television cameras caught Mbapp茅 criticizing the officiating crew in the game against Valencia, with the France striker apparently using the word 鈥渃lown鈥� to talk about one referee. Mbapp茅 seemed to be looking for an explanation for an offside call but the referee didn’t appear to want to talk to the player.
Mbapp茅’s Madrid has won seven in a row in the Spanish league and sits one points behind leader Barcelona after 23 matches. It will face Jos茅 Mourinho’s Benfica in the first knockout phase of the Champions League.
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