Birthday boy Mbappe dedicates record-equalling Madrid goal to Ronaldo

Kylian Mbappe dedicated his record-equalling Real Madrid goal to Cristiano Ronaldo.

Birthday boy Mbappe scored Madrid’s second goal in a 2-0 win over 10-man Sevilla in LaLiga on Saturday.

Mbappe converted an 86th-minute penalty, having previously hit the woodwork. In fact, he had nine shots throughout, with four of those hitting the target.

In scoring, Mbappe netted for the 59th time in 59 games in Madrid colours in 2025. That matches the club record for goals in a calendar year, previously set by Ronaldo in 2013.

He celebrated by mimicking Ronaldo’s famous celebration.

@KMbappe equals @Cristiano‘s record with 59 goals in a calendar year! pic.twitter.com/tZXoNrOOdT

— Real Madrid C.F. (@realmadriden) December 20, 2025

“It’s a special day, it’s my birthday. Since I was little, I’ve said it’s a dream to play a professional match on my birthday, especially with Real Madrid, the club of my dreams,” Mbappe told Real Madrid TV.

“We won, which was very important. It was the goal. And the record is incredible. In my first year, to do it like my idol, the best in Real Madrid’s history, a benchmark for world football.

“I wanted to give him a nod in the celebration. He’s always been kind to me, helping me adapt to Real Madrid. We’ve talked a lot. It was nice.

“I have my own celebration, but I wanted to do it like him to dedicate it to him. I have a very good relationship with him.”

Only one player has scored more than Mbappe and Ronaldo in a single calendar year for a club in one of Europe’s top five leagues in the modern era, with Lionel Messi netting 79 times for Barcelona in 2012.

While Mbappe, who is now on 49 LaLiga goals, soaked up the plaudits, team-mate Vinicius Junior seemed to be jeered as he left the field in the 83rd minute.

“We’ve all been saying our goodbyes in the locker room,” said Xabi Alonso when he was asked how Vinicius had reacted. “We haven’t spoken about it.”