Kylian Mbappe Joins Elite Group With Latest Champions League Milestone

The Frenchman’s personal efforts weren’t enough to overcome the mighty Bayern Munich.

Kylian Mbappé bagged Real Madrid’s only goal. | Diego Souto/Getty Images

Kylian Mbappé gave Real Madrid an all-important lifeline as he struck on the 74th minute against Bayern Munich on Tuesday night—and the goal was significant from a personal perspective as he joined an elite group of players to score 14 times in a single Champions League campaign.

The Frenchman’s goal proved a consolation on the night, as Madrid lost 2–1 to Bayern at the Bernabéu in the Champions League quarterfinal first leg. However, with just one goal in the tie, Los Blancos will travel to Munich for the return leg with a real sense that they can still progress to the final four.

In a frantic, end-to-end display in Madrid, the hosts registered 21 shots—ten of which were on target—and were denied on several occasions by the heroics of veteran goalkeeper Manuel Neuer.

After goals either side of the halftime break by Luis Díaz and Harry Kane, Mbappé eventually pulled one back for Madrid with a neat back-post finish from Trent Alexander-Arnold’s low cross.

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Mbappé Follows in Ronaldo, Benzema’s Footsteps

Cristiano Ronaldo scored a bagful of Champions League goals for Real Madrid. | Getty/AFP

With his strike, Mbappé reached 14 goals in the Champions League, an impressive milestone after just ten appearances.

As a result, the 27-year-old is now only the seventh player ever to hit 14 or more goals in a single campaign in Europe’s top cup competition—either the European Cup, or in its current guise as the Champions League.

The other players on the exclusive list are: José Altafini (AC Milan), Ruud van Nistelrooy (Manchester United), Lionel Messi (Barcelona), Cristiano Ronaldo (Real Madrid), Robert Lewandowski (Bayern Munich) and Karim Benzema (Real Madrid).

Mbappé becomes the third Real Madrid star to achieve the feat, while Ronaldo has actually reached 14 or more goals in a Champions League season on three separate occasions.

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Arbeloa Challenges Mbappé to Keep it Up

Álvaro Arbeloa wants Mbappé to maintain his performance levels | Paul ELLIS/AFP/Getty Images

Mbappé was a regular nuisance to Bayern on Tuesday night and might’ve scored more than just once, as he registered a total of six shots in the match.

Speaking after the game, head coach Álvaro Arbeloa hailed his star striker’s tenacious performance, but included some thinly veiled criticism in the form of a challenge to put in the same level of effort for every outing.

“This is the Mbappé I want,” Arbeloa told reporters. “Very invested in every area of the game, the best player in the world, a constant threat. An Mbappé that wants to be Mbappé every day.”

Mbappé’s goal on Tuesday was his first for Madrid in six games, with his last strike coming in a 2–0 win over Valencia back in February.

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