Can Kylian Mbappe emulate Cristiano Ronaldo's success at Real Madrid?

After spending six years at the PSG, Kylian Mbappe finally made his long awaited move to Real Madrid in the summer of 2024, with a hope of carving his own legacy at the Los Blancos, just as Cristiano Ronaldo did during his illustrious tenure with the club. 

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French footballer Kylian Mbappe's arrival at Real Madrid was much like a long anticipated coronation as the fans were expecting him to follow the footsteps of his idol and football legend Cristiano Ronaldo. Mbappe had long desired to join Los Blancos while playing for Paris Saint Germain. 

Mbappe has already earned his name as one of the best footballers in the world, thanks to his clinical pace, brilliant finishing ability, and exceptional dribbling skills, which have often drawn comparisons to some of the greatest footballers in the world. After he was signed by Paris Saint Germain from AS Monaco for a transfer fee of €180 million, making him the second-most expensive player after Neymar Jr, Kylian Mbappe established himself as one of the top football players and PSG’s all-time goal-scorer while playing a crucial role in France’s 2018 FIFA World Cup triumph. 

After spending six years at the PSG, Kylian Mbappe finally made his long awaited move to Real Madrid in the summer of 2024, with a hope of carving his own legacy at the Los Blancos, just as Cristiano Ronaldo did during his illustrious tenure with the club. However, the question remains whether Mbappe could emulate Portuguese football legend at the Santiago Bernabeu? 

Cristiano Ronaldo’s arrival at Real Madrid in 2009 was more of a celebration as he was already a star player who had won the Ballon d'Or and the Champions League with Manchester United. Ronaldo arrived at the Santiago Bernabeu when Real Madrid were going through a transition period, where they were looking to reclaim their dominance in Spain and Europe after years of Barcelona supremacy. Ronaldo coming to Real Madrid was the beginning transformative era of the club and formed an illustrious partnership that is etched in the history of the club. 

Ronaldo’s transfer to Real Madrid was one of the greatest transfers in the history of football. His transfer fee was €94 million, which was then the most expensive transfer in football history. The legendary footballer arriving at the Los Blancos completely changed the fortunes of the club as his exceptional goal-scoring brilliance, unparalleled work ethic, and ability to deliver for the team in crucial moments. At Manchester United, Cristiano Ronaldo had already showcased his immense talent, but at Real Madrid, he elevated his game to an entire level that further solidified his position as one of the greatest players in the history of football. 

During his nine-year stay at the Real Madrid, Cristiano Ronaldo played an instrumental role in helping resurrect the club’s legacy by helping them clinch the four Champions League titles and two La Liga titles. While playing for Los Blancos, Ronaldo won four more Ballon d’Or awards, taking his total to five. His partnership with former Real Madrid coach Zinedine Zidane was instrumental in the dominance of the club in Europe, especially during their historic three consecutive Champions League titles, which is a record till date. After spending nine seasons with the Los Blancos, Ronaldo left Santiago Bernabeu as the club’s all-time goalscorer across all competitions, netting 450 goals in 438 appearances. 

 When we talk about Kylian Mbappe, the French international has already become a successful player just like his idol Cristiano Ronaldo when he joined Real Madrid. However, Ronaldo joined the Los Blancos when they were looking for revival in Spain and Europe. Mbappe, on the other hand, has stepped into the team that has been dominating Spanish and European football in recent years. Real Madrid are currently the defending champions of the Champions League and they are in quest to defend the title as they have qualified for the knockout stage of the ongoing season. 

Mbappe had a shaky start to his stint at Real Madrid as he was struggling to find his rhythm in a team that has already been filled with established players. However, in the ongoing season, the 26-year-old has scored 22 goals across all competitions for Los Blancos. He scored his first hat-trick for the team in the La Liga match against Valladolid. Kylian Mbappe arrived at Real Madrid as a five-time Ligue 1 winner with Paris Saint Germain and a FIFA World Cup winner. Mbappe has achieved almost similar success to Cristiano Ronaldo before he was transferred to Real Madrid. 

Ronaldo joined Real Madrid at a time when the club was going through a transition period, while Mbappe joined Los Blancos that has already become a dominant force, winning La Liga and European titles in recent years. The Portuguese footballer, alongside Zinedine Zidane, were spearheading the resurgence of Real Madrid, and Kylian Mbappe, on the other hand, must integrate himself into the dominant squad which the includes the likes of Vinicius Junior, Jude Bellingham, Rodrygo, and Luka Modric. With well-established players in the squad, Mbappe will have to carve out his own legacy in order to become the next icon at Real Madrid.