On his 27th birthday, Kylian Mbappé etched his name further into Real Madrid's history books, equaling a record held by his idol, Cristiano Ronaldo. The French forward scored his 59th goal of the year for the Spanish giants in their 2-0 victory over Sevilla, matching Ronaldo's 2013 mark for the most goals scored in a calendar year for Real Madrid.

The historic moment arrived late in the match at the Santiago Bernabéu, as Mbappé converted a penalty with just four minutes remaining. The goal not only secured the win for Real Madrid but also allowed Mbappé to equal the record on his birthday. After scoring, Mbappé paid tribute to Ronaldo with a subdued version of the Portuguese star's trademark goal celebration before blowing a kiss at the television cameras.

Mbappé joined Real Madrid in the summer of 2024 and has made an immediate impact. This season, he has already scored 29 goals, with 18 of those coming in the league, making him the current top scorer. Overall, Mbappé has scored 49 goals for Real Madrid in La Liga.

Jude Bellingham had earlier put Real Madrid ahead with a header in the 38th minute. Sevilla's chances of a comeback were further diminished when Marcao received a second yellow card, reducing them to 10 men. Adding to Sevilla's woes, their coach Matías Almeyda was also ejected from the game during halftime. Despite being a man down, Sevilla created several scoring opportunities, testing Real Madrid's defense. Real Madrid goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois was forced to make several saves to maintain his team's lead.

With this win, Real Madrid remains in close pursuit of Barcelona in the La Liga standings. They sit in second place with 42 points, just one point behind their rivals. The victory also eased some of the pressure on Real Madrid coach Xabi Alonso, who had been under scrutiny following a recent string of lackluster performances.

Cristiano Ronaldo, who was present at Real Madrid from 2009 to 2018, is considered an icon in the club's history. He scored a record 450 goals in 438 appearances for the club, averaging over a goal per game. His goal tally includes 311 La Liga goals and 105 Champions League goals. During his time with Real Madrid, Ronaldo won numerous titles, including four Champions League crowns, two La Liga titles, and multiple Ballon d'Or awards.

Mbappé has now scored 70 goals in his first 81 games for Real Madrid. In comparison, Ronaldo reached 70 goals in 75 games. Mbappé's achievement comes with two more fixtures remaining in 2025, giving him the opportunity to surpass Ronaldo's record before the year ends.