Kylian Mbappe and Rodrygo Hit Same Real Madrid Milestone – But the Difference Is Striking

Kylian Mbappe and Rodrygo were on the scoresheet as Real Madrid secured a hard-fought 2-1 victory over Deportivo Alaves on Sunday night. 

Mbappe opened the scoring for Los Blancos in the 24th minute. The Frenchman got on the end of Jude Bellingham’s through ball, cut in from the left wing, and scored a curler from 18 yards out.

Alaves equalised from Carlos Vicente’s strike from the edge of the area in the 68th minute, putting pressure back on the visitors. In the 76th minute, Rodrygo restored Real Madrid’s advantage, putting Vinicius Junior’s cutback away from close range.

Coincidentally, both Mbappe and Rodrygo celebrated reaching their 70th goals for Real Madrid. However, the time at which each player achieved this milestone reveals a stark contrast.

Mbappe Was a Lot Quicker to 70 Real Madrid Goals Than Rodrygo

Kylian Mbappe has enjoyed a blistering start to his Real Madrid career.

Since joining the club from Paris Saint-Germain, he has scored 70 goals and provided nine assists in only 81 matches across competitions.

Only Madrid’s all-time top scorer, Cristiano Ronaldo, had more goals at the same stage, netting 75 times in his first 81 games for the club.

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Kylian Mbappé has scored 70 (!) career goals for Real Madrid already ‍ pic.twitter.com/BuBTKtYByp

— 433 (@433) December 14, 2025

In November, Mbappe reached 400 career goals, outpacing Ronaldo and Lionel Messi. The sky is the limit for the 2018 FIFA World Cup winner, and many believe he will challenge CR7’s legacy at the Santiago Bernabeu.

Rodrygo also touched the 70-goal milestone for Real Madrid on Sunday, though it took him 289 games to do so — 208 more than Mbappe.

The 24-year-old, however, has been a lot more generous in the final third, having provided 53 assists since his move in 2019.

Why Rodrygo’s Contribution Goes Beyond Goals

Rodrygo has taken 208 more matches to score the same number of goals as Kylian Mbappe. While the contrast in output is striking, goals alone cannot determine Rodrygo’s value.

Unlike Mbappe, who has acted as the focal point of Real Madrid’s attack, Rodrygo has primarily played a supporting role. When playing alongside Karim Benzema, he often served as the decoy to lure defenders away from the striker.

Additionally, with Vinicius Jr. in the team, Rodrygo has rarely gotten the opportunity to play in his preferred position on the left flank.

Rodrygo also regularly provides cover for the overlapping right-back and tends to drop deeper than other attackers to facilitate link-up play. Between the added defensive burden and the constant shuffling of roles, Rodrygo has not had the luxury of focusing solely on attacking output.

Glória a Deus! ⚽️⚡️ pic.twitter.com/18ZQyvp5zo

— Rodrygo Goes (@RodrygoGoes) December 14, 2025

Despite the obvious handicaps, Rodrygo has scored some invaluable goals and provided decisive assists for Real Madrid.

His late brace against Manchester City in the 2021/22 Champions League semi-final remains one of the finest clutch performances in the competition’s history.

However, reports suggest Madrid may not be able to rely on Rodrygo for much longer, especially if his situation does not improve under Xabi Alonso.

Rodrygo’s struggle for minutes under Alonso this season has sparked transfer rumours, with many top clubs linked.

Man City are reportedly interested in Rodrygo as they prepare to ship off Jack Grealish in the summer. Arsenal and Paris Saint-Germain have also been linked.