The 'first Mbappé' vs the 'first CR7': Will Kylian be another player of the era

The Frenchman and the Portuguese are constantly compared, and the data from their first seasons at Real Madrid offer interesting insights into the debate. 

Ever since he set foot in Madrid, or even before, Kylian Mbappé has been constantly compared to Cristiano Ronaldo . And it makes sense. He was the Frenchman's childhood idol, both are world-renowned footballers, and their signing for Real Madrid, one in 2009 and the other in 2024, generated such high expectations among the fans that they both filled the Santiago Bernabéu during their presentation, where they even echoed the "1...2...3... Hala Madrid!" speech that CR7 'invented. 

Therefore, having reached the point where Kylian , in his first eight months as a Real Madrid player, is just two goals away from equalling Cristiano 's record of 33 goals in his first year, it is appropriate to review some data to compare whether, in truth, we are looking at a player of the era for Real Madrid like the Portuguese player was. 

The calendar 'helps' 

Contrary to the debate that has been generated in recent days regarding the accumulation of matches and player fatigue, in this case, it is clear that the fact that more matches are being played now than before is a differential factor in allowing Mbappé to maintain Cristiano 's pace and be on the verge of pulverizing him.

In fact, this season the Frenchman has already played 44 games, just four fewer than the entire last season at PSG (48) and 11 more than Cristiano in the entire 09/10 season, the 'bicho's' first. But as with almost everything, there's a catch. Cristiano , who in his first year at Real Madrid only reached the round of 16 of the Champions League and didn't even play in the Copa del Rey when the Whites were eliminated in the famous "Alcorconazo", also missed 12 games due to injury between September and November 2009. 

For his part, Mbappé has already played in six competitions ( La Liga, Champions League, Copa del Rey, Spanish Super Cup, Spanish Super Cup and Intercontinental Cup ) and is still alive in all of them and still has the Club World Cup in June in the United States that could further increase his quota if he does not get injured, a matter, added to the rest that Ancelotti has given him, which has made him miss only four games this season. 

Therefore, we have to go back to this same time of year, but in the 09/10 season, when CR7 had 22 goals in 25 matches. That's an average of 0.88. While Mbappé's average at this point is 0.77 goals per match. Cristiano Ronaldo wins here. For now. 

The best debut, within reach 

So, Mbappé hasn't surpassed Cristiano Ronaldo but he's on the right track. He's also on the path to achieving the best goalscoring record for a player in his first year as a Real Madrid player. Surprisingly, it's not Ronaldo Nazario , Cristiano Ronaldo himself, or Hugo Sánchez , but Iván Zamorano who, in the 92/93 season, arrived from Sevilla, scored 37 goals in 45 games, just one more than Kylian has right now. Another like Van Nistelrooy , in 06/07 reached 33 goals in 47 games. 

So, Mbappé is maintaining his form in his career, becoming a sort of Cristiano Ronaldo 2.0, which, of course, will force him not only to keep up with this season's pace but to increase it as the years go by. At the moment, he's 26, and unlike Cristiano's 24-year-old, he's two years behind. The Portuguese star scored at 33, and at that age, no one knows where Mbappé will be. 

Partners are key 

Last but not least, there's one part of the equation that, in a team sport like football, is very important: the teammates. The players tasked with providing assists and creating favorable playmaking situations for the forwards, in this case, Mbappé and Cristiano . 

In his case, the Portuguese star had players like Guti, Raúl, and Benzema in his first season. He also had others like Kaká and Xabi Alonso, who had great reputations, helping him rack up more and more goals in his first year and beyond. 

While Mbappé , in a different stage of the Merengue's history, has Vinicius, Rodrygo, Bellingham or Fede Valverde , players who, without a doubt, have a very important role in the Frenchman's scoring record and who are aware that they feed off each other if the Frenchman does well. 

As things stand, there's still a season to go, and certainly many years to go, before we know if Mbappé will be better than Cristiano . He's on the right path, but what the Portuguese player did now seems so unattainable that it's impossible to say with certainty that he'll achieve it. To be continued.