Kylian Mbappé has entered silly numbers territory again, hitting 60 goals for the 2025 calendar year as Real Madrid scraped a 1-1 draw away at Girona. The French forward tucked away a penalty at Montilivi to reach the milestone, joining Cristiano Ronaldo, Lionel Messi and Robert Lewandowski as the only players this century to hit 60 in a single year.
It also puts him alongside Just Fontaine, the last Frenchman to do it, way back in 1958. According to GOAL, no French striker since Fontaine has bundled that many goals in a year across club and international football.
Madrid wobbling despite Mbappé’s fireworks
The historic strike didn’t actually mask the issues Madrid are dealing with. The draw makes it three away games on the bounce without a win in La Liga, and Barcelona have taken advantage by jumping into top spot. Mbappé was constantly involved, but he had one effort chalked off for handball and was doubled up on by defenders all game while Girona nicked the first goal.
Xabi Alonso is starting to feel the heat a little, with the side dropping points at bad moments and looking quite vulnerable even though Mbappé has basically carried the attack on his back all season.
Leader, match winner, security blanket
Mbappé’s form has turned him from superstar into the centre of Madrid’s entire project. He’s dragged them along in the league, the Champions League and with France, scoring in every competition and playing as creator, finisher and captain without the armband.
The club insists the year marked “Mbappé’s transition from global star to central figure and undisputed leader of Real Madrid,” which sounds like they know exactly how dependent they are on him.
Big numbers, bigger questions
There’s no debate over Mbappé’s output. He’s the most dangerous player in La Liga by a mile, and the one Madrid youngster’s look at when things go wrong. He scores, he creates, he intimidates defenders. And he does it every week.
But Madrid, as a collective, are still miles from perfect. If they don’t fix the structural issues behind him, Barcelona might just stroll away with the title again.