Kylian Mbappe provides response when asked if he can surpass Cristiano Ronaldo at Real Madrid

Real Madrid ace Kylian Mbappe has responded to a question of whether he can better the legacy of Cristiano Ronaldo at the Santiago Bernabeu. The French forward has enjoyed a stunning start to life with Los Blancos, replete with accolades and individual honours.

Mbappe spoke at an event held to present him with his European Golden Shoe for the 2024-25 season. The France international was asked if he thinks he can surpass the achievements of Cristiano Ronaldo at Real Madrid, to which he responded that he does not wish to compare and only wishes to forge his own path at the club.

"I don't know how to answer that question. Everyone knows that Cristiano is the benchmark in Madrid, the number one. I've been here for a year and a half, and he was here for nine years. I can't compare myself to what he did, my path is different. I want to forge my own path, but being mentioned alongside Cristiano is already an honor. But I'm only focused on forging my own path, helping the team, and winning every title possible", he said (via @MadridXtra on X).

A boyhood Real Madrid fan, Kylian Mbappe got to live his dream of playing for the club when he joined as a free agent in the summer of 2024. The 26-year-old endured a rough start to his career at the club before turning things around in the following months.

Mbappe won the Pichihi as the leading scorer in the 2024-25 LaLiga season and also claimed his first-ever European Golden Shoe award. His first season with Los Blancos did not yield any major honours as his side bowed to Barcelona domestically and Arsenal on the continent.

Cristiano Ronaldo is the benchmark at the Santiago Bernabeu, having scored 450 goals in 438 appearances for the club across nine years. Former Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) star Mbappe matched a record of the Portuguese great's this season, and will be hopeful of enjoying a long, successful career at the club.

Lionel Messi aims dig at Real Madrid legend Cristiano Ronaldo

Inter Miami great Lionel Messi has aimed a dig at long-time rival Cristiano Ronaldo in an interview with NBC. The 38-year-old appeared before the American broadcaster amid his side's campaign in the ongoing MLS playoffs, taking time off his schedule.

Messi told his interviewer about how players lose track of the kind of success that really matters when they begin to chase records. He reiterated the need for the team's success to always come first, regardless of individual pursuits of glory.

"Many players become obsessed with individual records - and they end up forgetting the main objective - which is the team's success and winning competitions. To break records, the team must first achieve victories", he said (via mirror.co.uk).

Real Madrid legend Cristiano Ronaldo is on his way to 1,000 career goals, having already netted 950 times in his career. The 40-year-old has struggled to translate his individual success to team glory, failing to lift any major silverware since joining Al-Nassr in January 2023.

Edited by Sulayman Salahudeen