Mbappé equals Ronaldo’s record with 59th goal as Madrid beat Sevilla

Kylian Mbappé ended Real Madrid’s year with history, emotion and relief, scoring his 59th goal of 2025 to equal Cristiano Ronaldo’s club record and seal a 2-0 victory over Sevilla on Saturday. The strike, fittingly, came on Mbappé’s 27th birthday and capped a night that mixed celebration with lingering concerns around Madrid’s form.

The France forward had looked set to miss the milestone until the closing stages, when he calmly converted a penalty in the 86th minute. The goal matched Ronaldo’s record from 2013 for the most goals scored by a Madrid player in a calendar year. Mbappé marked the moment with a toned-down version of Ronaldo’s famous leap-and-thrust celebration before blowing a kiss to the cameras.

“It’s incredible to do in my first full year what Cristiano did,” Mbappé said. “He’s my idol, the best player in Real Madrid’s history. The celebration was for him.”

Mbappé, who joined Madrid from Paris Saint-Germain in the summer of 2024, has now scored 29 goals this season, including a league-leading 18. His consistency has been a rare constant for a team still searching for rhythm.

Jude Bellingham opened the scoring in the 38th minute with a powerful header, giving Madrid control before Sevilla’s night worsened. Defender Marcao was sent off after picking up a second yellow card for reckless challenges, leaving the visitors with 10 men for the final 20 minutes. Sevilla coach Matías Almeyda was also dismissed by the referee at halftime for protesting.

Despite the numerical advantage, Madrid struggled to put the game away and were repeatedly exposed at the back. Sevilla created several chances, with veteran forward Alexis Sánchez impressing at 37. Goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois proved crucial, producing a series of saves to deny Sánchez, Isaac Romero and Alfonso González in the second half.

The tension lingered until Mbappé’s late penalty, awarded after Juanlu Sánchez fouled Rodrygo in the box.

The win eased pressure on coach Xabi Alonso, who has faced growing scrutiny after a run of poor results and underwhelming performances. Madrid had lost their previous two home matches, and fans again voiced frustration at the team’s defensive frailties.

“Today was a game we had to win,” Alonso said. “We know we can play better. Now we have the points and will try to improve in the new year.”

Madrid head into the break in second place, one point behind leaders Barcelona, who visit Villarreal on Sunday.

Elsewhere, Levante and Real Sociedad drew 1-1 before both clubs announced new coaches, with Sociedad appointing American Pellegrino Matarazzo and Levante bringing in Luís Castro. Osasuna enjoyed their biggest win of the season, beating Alaves 3-0 with a brace from Ante Budimir. Real Oviedo, meanwhile, were held 0-0 by Celta Vigo in a match briefly delayed by pigeons wandering onto the pitch.

Kylian Mbappé became only the second player in history to score a hat-trick in a World Cup final as he netted three against Argentina in 2022.

In 2022 Final (France vs Argentina 3–3, lost on penalties) Mbappé scored a hat-trick and converted his penalty in the shootout, but France finished second.