Mbappé joins Messi and Ronaldo in elite 60-goal club

Kylian Mbappé has joined Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo in one of football’s most exclusive elite groups after scoring his 60th goal of the 2025 calendar year during Real Madrid’s 1-1 draw with Girona.

The French superstar reached the milestone by converting a penalty at Montilivi, becoming the first Frenchman since Just Fontaine in 1958 to hit 60 goals in a single year for club and country.

Mbappé’s record-setting strike came on a night when Madrid again struggled away from home. Despite controlling long stretches of the match, Xabi Alonso’s side lacked rhythm in the final third and failed to break down a stubborn Girona defence.

Madrid’s frustrations deepened when a disallowed Mbappé effort, chalked off for an inadvertent handball, was followed moments later by Girona’s opening goal.

The draw extended Madrid’s winless run on the road in La Liga to three matches, handing rivals Barcelona the chance to reclaim top spot.

The significance of Mbappé’s equaliser contrasted sharply with Madrid’s broader issues, highlighting their growing reliance on the 26-year-old forward.

His extraordinary scoring run has masked inconsistencies elsewhere in the squad, with the team struggling to convert his brilliance into sustained momentum.

While Mbappé kept Madrid in the title race, the result left Alonso facing renewed scrutiny over the team’s lack of cohesion and recent dip in performances.

Reaching the 60-goal mark placed Mbappé alongside Messi, Ronaldo, and Robert Lewandowski as the only players of the 21st century to achieve such a tally in a single year.

His transformation from marquee signing to Madrid’s defining figure has accelerated throughout 2025, with decisive goals across La Liga, the Champions League, and international duty for France.

His form has turned Madrid’s attacking structure into one built around his movement, finishing, and leadership.

The milestone also capped a dominant personal year for Mbappé, who has delivered consistently even amid turbulence.

From knockout-stage heroics in Europe to captaining France through qualifying fixtures, he has maintained world-class output across every competition.

Despite Madrid’s mixed form, Mbappé’s performances have placed him firmly in the conversation alongside the greatest individual scorers of the modern era.