Mbappe hits historic mark despite Madrid exit

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Real Madrid’s UEFA Champions League campaign ended at the hands of Bayern Munich after a high-scoring semi-final, but Kylian Mbappe still delivered one of the competition’s most prolific individual seasons.

Across the two legs, the tie produced 10 goals, with Bayern edging Madrid out in a dramatic contest. Mbappe was on target in Munich, scoring Madrid’s second with a composed finish past Manuel Neuer. While the goal did not change the outcome, it carried major significance.

That strike took Mbappe to 15 goals in the 2025-26 Champions League campaign. It is a mark reached by only a handful of players in the competition’s history, placing his season among the most productive ever.

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Cristiano Ronaldo set the benchmark during Real Madrid’s dominant era. He scored 17 goals in the 2013-14 season, a record that still stands, before adding 16 in 2015-16 and 15 in 2017-18 as Madrid secured multiple titles.

Only two other players have matched the 15-goal mark. Robert Lewandowski reached it during Bayern Munich’s 2019-20 title-winning campaign, while Karim Benzema did the same in Real Madrid’s 2021-22 triumph.

Mbappe’s achievement stands alongside those campaigns, although without the team success that defined the others. Each of those seasons ended with Champions League winners’ medals, something that eluded Mbappe and Madrid this time.

Despite that, the numbers underline Mbappe’s consistency at the highest level. His movement, finishing and ability to deliver in key moments kept Madrid competitive throughout the tournament.

In a competition defined by elite forwards, Mbappe has once again shown he belongs in that group, producing numbers that place him among the best in Champions League history.

Photo: REUTERS/Violeta Santos Moura

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Dylan Johnson