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January 22, 2026
Kylian Mbappé keeps rewriting the Champions League script, and this time the comparison is impossible to avoid. With another ruthless night in front of goal, the French star has matched a record once owned by Ronaldo alone, placing himself firmly among Europe’s most devastating finishers...
The UEFA Champions League has a new king of efficiency. In a breathtaking display of clinical finishing against Monaco, Kylian Mbappé has officially entered the history books, matching a record previously held solely by the competition's greatest-ever goalscorer, Cristiano Ronaldo. With his latest brace, Mbappé has reached 11 goals in just six matches this season. This feat mirrors Ronaldo’s legendary 2015–2016 campaign, where the Portuguese icon netted 11 times during the group stages. Equaling a record many thought would remain untouched for decades.
Cristiano Ronaldo - Smile
While Ronaldo set his record over the course of a full six-game group stage, Mbappé’s journey to the same figure has felt like a relentless sprint. Here is how the two goalscoring machines compare in their record-breaking UEFA Champions League runs:
For years, the footballing world has debated who would fill the void left by the "CR7" era. Averaging nearly 1.83 goals per game, Mbappé has turned the most prestigious club competition in the world into his personal playground. His performance against Monaco wasn't just about the quantity of goals, but the terrifying ease with which he found the back of the net, reminiscent of Ronaldo in his absolute prime at Real Madrid.
"To be mentioned in the same breath as Cristiano is an honor, but the job isn't finished. Records are a byproduct of winning, and the trophy is what matters most." — Kylian Mbappé.
The FIFA World Cup 2026 is only a few months away, and the hype around the most popular tournament in the world is rising. Both Portugal and France are placed in the top 5 favorites at almost all bookies with France being a slight favorite. Actually a few online Malaysia betting sites, and some sportsbooks in Portugal offer lower odds on Portugal than on France to win the World Cup 2026.
This is purely because of the popularity of Cristiano Ronaldo in Malaysia, and the patriotism in Portugal, because the depth in the French squad is unmatched for 2026. Cristiano Ronaldo is only missing the World Cup title, and will do anything in his power to claim this, meanwhile Mbappé already won the World Cup, and might not have the same desire to win as Ronaldo.
With the knockout stages looming, the question is no longer if Mbappé can match the greats, but how far he can surpass them. Ronaldo finished that 2015-16 season with 16 goals in total. If Mbappé maintains this current trajectory, he is on pace to shatter the all-time single-season record of 17 goals.
As it stands, the Frenchman has moved from "rising star" to "statistical goalscoring machine," proving that in the modern era of football, his name is the only one alongside Haaland to be capable of keeping pace with the ghosts of Champions League past.
Cristiano Ronaldo next game for Al Nassr is on January 26, against Al Taawon, for the Saudi Super League. You can watch Al Nassr vs Al Taawon, Villarreal vs Real Madrid, Barcelona vs Real Oviedo, Fenerbahce vs Aston Villa, Braga vs Nottingham Forest and Roma vs VfB Stuttgart, all matches provided from our stream live game pages.
Al Nassr next game:
Al Nassr vs Al Taawon kick-off time (26-01-2026):
Beijing (China) | UTC/GMT+8: 01:30
India (New Delhi) | UTC/GMT+5.30: 23:00
Saudi Arabia (Riyadh) | UTC/GMT+3: 20:30
Spain (Madrid) | UTC/GMT+1: 18:30
Portugal and England (Lisbon/London) | UTC/GMT+0: 17:30
Rio de Janeiro (Brazil) | UTC/GMT-3: 14:30
New York (United States) | UTC/GMT-4: 13:30
Los Angeles (United States) | UTC/GMT-7: 10:30
Sources: ronaldo7.net / reuters.com / premierleague.com
