On Equalling Cristiano Ronaldo’s Goal Record At Real Madrid, Kylian Mbappe Says, “We Have To…”

Real Madrid striker Kylian Mbappe said that it was special to match the first 33 goals from Cristiano Ronaldo of 33 goals for Los Blancos after scoring a splint on Leganes at La Liga. The double of Mbappe brought him to 33 strikes in 44 appearances in all competitions, the same number of goals that his idol succeeded in the 2009-10 campaign. Ronaldo, who joined Manchester United, has become the top scorer of all time in Real Madrid with 450 goals. “It’s very special … to have the same number of objectives that Cristiano is still good,” Mbappe told Real Madrid TV.

“We know what he means for Real Madrid and I, we are talking, he gives me a lot of advice, he has marked many goals – but we have to win trophies here.”

Mbappe explained a perfect Panenka penalty in the middle to open the scoring, then after Madrid was late, finished his return with a free kick in the 3-2 triumph at Santiago Bernabeu.

The victory took the level of Madrid with the Barcelona leaders at the top of the table before the Catalans were facing Gérona on Sunday.

Real Madrid coach Carlo Ancelotti praised the Mbappe screen, with the striker in sparkling form after an incoherent start to Madrid after his move from Paris Saint-Germain last summer.

“He is fine, he is much more active and present in the game (of the team),” Ancelotti told journalists.

“He makes the difference and that’s what we want from him.”

Previously, Ancelotti suggested that Mbappe could live up to Ronaldo’s inheritance in Madrid, but only with a lot of hard work.

“He has the quality to reach his figures, but he has to work, because Cristiano has put the bar very high, but it is so excited to play here, he can reach the level of Cristiano,” said Ancelotti in February, after Mbappe marked a triplet against Manchester City.

(This story has not been published by NDTV staff and is automatically generated from a unionized flow.)