Kylian Mbappé delivered a stunning performance on Tuesday night, scoring twice as Real Madrid cruised to a dominant 6–1 victory over Monaco in the UEFA Champions League. The win moved Los Blancos to within a point of securing automatic qualification for the knockout stage and further cemented Mbappé’s growing legacy in Europe’s elite competition.
The French forward’s brace at the Santiago Bernabéu saw him reach 11 goals in the opening phase of the Champions League, a landmark achievement that places him ahead of Lionel Messi and level with Cristiano Ronaldo. It is the joint-highest goal tally ever recorded at this stage of the competition.
Mbappé’s goals, both scored in the first half, helped Real Madrid establish a commanding 2–0 lead before the break. According to beIN Sports, the Spanish giants went on to dismantle their French opponents, underlining their credentials as one of the tournament’s strongest contenders this season.
By reaching 11 goals in just six matches, Mbappé equalled the record set by Ronaldo during the 2015–16 Champions League campaign, when the Portuguese superstar achieved the same feat with Real Madrid. In the process, Mbappé surpassed Messi, who previously held the second-highest group-stage tally with 10 goals, achieved for Barcelona in the 2016–17 season.
The 25-year-old has also moved beyond notable tallies set by Sébastien Haller in the 2021–22 season and Robert Lewandowski in 2019–20, both of whom scored 10 goals during a single opening phase.
Mbappé will have the opportunity to stand alone at the top of the record books when Real Madrid face Benfica in Portugal on Wednesday, January 28, the final matchday of the league phase. Although the revised Champions League format allows for up to eight matches in the opening phase, Mbappé’s achievement is particularly impressive as he has reached this milestone with games to spare.
Beyond his current exploits, Mbappé is also closing in on one of Cristiano Ronaldo’s most iconic records. Ronaldo remains the all-time record holder for the most goals in a single Champions League season, having scored an extraordinary 17 goals during Real Madrid’s triumphant 2013–14 campaign. The Portuguese legend also occupies second and third place on the list, with 16 goals in 2015–16 and 15 goals in 2017–18. The latter tally has since been matched by Karim Benzema (2021–22) and Robert Lewandowski (2019–20).
With several matches still to play and his confidence at a high level, Mbappé is now firmly positioned to challenge — and potentially surpass — some of the most revered records in Champions League history, signalling a new era at the pinnacle of European football.
0 Comments