The New Standard: Mbappe’s 42-Goal Debut Puts Him Above Messi & Ronaldo

Football has given us countless stars. Some burned bright and faded. Others rewrote the game. But every now and then, someone comes along who feels like they were born for this, destined not just to play, but to rule. In 2017, we saw the emergence of a teenager who looked like he could’ve outrun defenders in the ancient Mayan ballgame “Pok-A-Tok” and still had time to celebrate.

That teenager? Kylian Lottin Mbappe.

By 2018, he wasn’t just promising, he was producing. 4 goals in 7 World Cup games, including 1 in the final against Croatia. At just 19, he was already a world champion. His pace was electric, his flair undeniable, and even those indifferent to football couldn’t look away.

Mbappe’s story has always been about moments , the kind that echo. But the biggest chapter had always felt like it was waiting: Real Madrid!. If ever a player was built for the Bernabeu, it was him. The aura, the ambition, the showman’s touch. He didn’t just dream of wearing that iconic white shirt, he was made for it. It took longer than expected, but when it finally happened, he grabbed it with both hands. And in his debut season, he didn’t just fit in, he made history. 

Ronaldo was already a Ballon d’Or holder when he arrived. Messi was a teen finding his feet. Mbappe came in with sky-high expectations and somehow blew past them. 

Not even the two greatest players of this era had numbers like his in their debut La Liga seasons. Let that sink in.
 
He helped Madrid finish 2nd behind Barcelona in a hotly contested title race, while also guiding them to the Champions League quarter-finals. Not bad for a "first try." 

Mbappe has dominated Ligue 1 for years, but this was the year he claimed the continental crown: 

🏆 European Golden Boot Winner – 2024/25 

31 goals = 62 points 

Outscored the likes of Viktor Gyökeres, Robert Lewandowski, and Mohamed Salah Did it in Spain , a league where defences are tighter, the lights brighter, and the pressure heavier 

And here’s something even more absurd: 

Mbappe is the only player in top-5 league history to win the domestic Golden Boot 7 years in a row. 

🥇Ligue 1 2018/19: 33 goals 

🥇2019/20: 18 goals (in a COVID-shortened season) 

🥇2020/21: 27 goals 

🥇2021/22: 28 goals 

🥇2022/23: 29 goals 

🥇2023/24: 27 goals 

🥇La Liga 2024/25: 31 goals 

Consistency like that is rare. Doing it across leagues is unheard of.