In a stunning birthday performance, French superstar Kylian Mbappé etched his name into Real Madrid's history books by equalling a legendary record held by Cristiano Ronaldo. The striker scored his 59th goal for the club in the calendar year 2025 during a tense 2-0 victory over Sevilla at the Santiago Bernabéu on Saturday.
A Record-Equalling Penalty on a Special Day
The historic moment almost slipped away until the 86th minute, when Mbappé calmly converted a penalty kick. This crucial goal sealed the win for Madrid in their final match of the year and, on his 27th birthday, brought his tally for 2025 to 59 goals. This figure matches the record set by Cristiano Ronaldo back in 2013. After celebrating with his teammates, Mbappé paid a heartfelt tribute to his idol by performing a subdued version of Ronaldo's iconic 'Siu' celebration, followed by blowing a kiss to the cameras.
The former Paris Saint-Germain forward, who joined Los Blancos in the summer of 2024, has been in phenomenal form this season alone, netting 29 times. This includes a league-leading 18 goals in La Liga. "It's incredible, in my first (full) year to do what Cristiano did. (He's) my idol, the best player in the history of Real Madrid," an emotional Mbappé stated after the match.
Pressure and Relief for Manager Alonso
The victory provided much-needed respite for under-pressure manager, who has faced intense scrutiny after a series of poor results and underwhelming performances from his star-studded squad. Speculation about his future had been rife in the Spanish media. Another stumble at home would have been disastrous, especially after losing the previous two games at the Bernabéu.
Despite the win and moving into second place, just one point behind Barcelona, Madrid's performance was far from convincing. Sevilla, even after defender Marcao received a second yellow card in the 70th minute, created numerous chances. Veteran Alexis Sánchez, 37, and right-back Juanlu Sánchez were particularly dangerous, repeatedly piercing Madrid's defense. Goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois was forced into several key saves to keep a clean sheet.
"Today was a game we had to win, we were in a complicated situation," admitted Alonso. "We know that we can play better, and now we have the three points and will try to start the new year by improving." The opening goal had come earlier from Jude Bellingham, who powered in a header in the 38th minute.
Around La Liga: Draws, Wins, and Pigeons
In other La Liga action, Levante and Real Sociedad played out a 1-1 draw in Valencia. Notably, both clubs announced new coaches immediately after the final whistle. Real Sociedad appointed American coach Pellegrino Matarazzo, while Luís Castro took charge of bottom-placed Levante.
Elsewhere, Ante Budimir ended his two-month league goal drought in style, scoring twice to help Osasuna secure their biggest win of the season, a 3-0 triumph over Alaves. In a more unusual fixture, Real Oviedo's third coach of the season, Guillermo Almada, saw his debut end in a 0-0 draw with Celta Vigo. The match was briefly upstaged by a small flock of pigeons that decided to linger on the pitch for a significant period.
As the league breaks for the winter, all eyes will be on whether Mbappé can break the record he now shares and if Alonso can steer his talented team towards a more consistent and dominant form in the new year.
