Ancelotti: Mbappe can match Ronaldo’s Real Madrid legacy

Real Madrid boss Carlo Ancelotti believes Kylian Mbappe can match Cristiano Ronaldo’s legacy at the club.

Mbappe’s pair of goals during Real Madrid’s 3-2 victory over Leganes on Saturday pushed his season total to 33 across all competitions, matching the legendary Portuguese icon.

This figure mirrors Ronaldo’s debut season tally from 2009-10. Subsequently, Ronaldo ascended to become Real Madrid’s all-time leading scorer, accumulating a total of 16 trophies, including four Champions League titles and two LaLiga championships.

“It’s difficult to compare different players,” Ancelotti said on Monday. “What I can hope for is that Mbappe can achieve what Cristiano Ronaldo achieved at Real Madrid. I think he has the possibility to do it. If he does that, he’ll be a legend at Real Madrid like Cristiano Ronaldo is.”

Mbappe’s current season includes 22 goals in 27 LaLiga appearances, alongside seven in the Champions League, and single goals in the Copa del Rey, Spanish Supercopa, Super Cup, and Intercontinental Cup.

Ronaldo’s initial LaLiga season saw him score 26 goals, which he then increased to 40 in his second season, 2010-11, and eventually reached a peak of 48 in the 2014-15 campaign.

⚪️🎞️ Ancelotti: “I wish Mbappé to match Cristiano’s numbers at Real Madrid for long time, of course”.

“He has the quality to make it happen, I hope so as he’d become a legend of this club. Kylian can do it”. pic.twitter.com/QwqUX8dyf3

— Fabrizio Romano (@FabrizioRomano) March 31, 2025

Real Madrid currently occupy the second spot in LaLiga, and are preparing to host Real Sociedad for the second leg of their Copa del Rey semi-final on Tuesday.

Los Blancos also trail Barca by three points in the league, setting up what should be a blockbuster final few weeks in the campaign.

“Barcelona play very nice football, with intensity, and Madrid play a different football, with a lot of quality, “Ancelotti added. “I like both, and that’s OK. It’s hard to compare, because there are different aspects: who presses most? Who defends best?

“It’s also about the characteristics of the players you have. Comparisons are almost impossible, I love the way Real Madrid play. We can improve things, some seasons are better than others. The players change, and you can’t maintain a style and identity for many years. If you try to maintain the same style, you always fail in the end.”