Kylian Mbappe, the 2018 World Cup winner at the age of 19, spent nine years in the French Ligue 1 playing for AS Monaco (two) and Paris Saint Germain (seven), and in the summer of the 2024 transfer window made a free transfer to Spanish giants Real Madrid, signing a five-year contract.
A Slow Start in La Liga
Kylian Mbappe‘s arrival at Real Madrid in the 2024/25 season was one of the most anticipated transfers in football history.
Still, his early days at the Santiago Bernabeu were far from seamless. The young Frenchman faced immense challenges as he struggled to replicate the form that had made him a prime target for the Spanish giants since his days at Monaco.
Joining a star-studded squad led by Carlo Ancelotti, the manager with the most Champions League titles in history, Mbappe carried the burden of immense expectations, which he struggled to fulfil at first.
His slow start at the club saw him scoreless in his first three games, an unexpected turn given the high expectations surrounding his arrival.
Fans and pundits alike anticipated an explosive start, especially considering his stellar record at PSG, where he netted 44 goals in 48 matches during the 2023/24 season, as well as his 2022 World Cup Golden Boot and Silver Ball awards.
Amid the early struggles, Mbappe offered a glimpse of his potential in his first competitive start for Real Madrid.
In the UEFA Super Cup, he scored his side’s crucial second goal in the tie against Atalanta, latching onto a precise pass from Jude Bellingham before doubling Madrid’s lead and helping secure the trophy, an encouraging sign of what was to come.
However, following that encouraging display, his form dipped. He scored only seven goals in his first 15 appearances, a decent return, but one that fell short of the expectations tied to his reputation.
Mbappe also missed key penalties against Liverpool at Anfield and Athletic Bilbao. During this spell, his visible frustration highlighted the pressure he faced as he adapted to a new team, league, and tactical system under Ancelotti.
YOU MAY ALSO LIKE: From Europe to the Desert: Why Football’s Stars Are Flocking to Saudi Arabia
Early Hurdles at Real Madrid
Mbappe, for France and PSG, had always been deployed on the left side of attack, but at Real Madrid, former manager Carlo Ancelotti played him as a central striker (No. 9), a shift from his preferred left-wing role.
This positional change caused discomfort, with Mbappe receiving fewer touches and struggling to build chemistry with his teammates.
His tendency to drift left often clashed with Vinicius Junior’s positioning, raising tactical concerns and prompting questions over whether the two can truly coexist in the same lineup.
The “Miss” That Defined a Moment
In his first three La Liga matches, he failed to score, as his first goal came in his fourth appearance, a brace against Real Betis, which by his standards was a relatively slow start.
His early performances were marked by inconsistency, culminating in a stretch he described as “rock-bottom.”
This low point followed a string of offside calls in El Clásico against Barcelona and a missed penalty against Athletic Bilbao at San Mamés in his 15th league appearance, a costly miss in a 2-1 defeat.
The loss sparked criticism from both fans and pundits, with some branding him a flop, while others questioned whether the demands of La Liga were proving too much, and if he was struggling to fill the void left by club legends like Karim Benzema and Cristiano Ronaldo.
Despite the rocky start, he still managed 10 goals and 2 assists in 20 appearances, a respectable return, though below the high standards he set at PSG, where he became the club’s all-time top scorer.
MORE FOR YOU: Arsenal’s Road to Redemption: What It Will Take To Win the Premier League Again
Mbappe’s Breakthrough Moment
After a spell of unexpected struggles, Mbappe proved, like all great players do, that form is temporary, but class is permanent.
He hit a purple patch midway through the season that extended into the new year. And by the end of the 2024/25 campaign, he had completed a stunning turnaround, breaking goal-scoring records, establishing himself as a pivotal figure in Real Madrid’s attack, and proving he could succeed within Carlo Ancelotti’s tactical setup.
Much of the credit for his resurgence goes to manager Carlo Ancelotti for his man-management skills and for not losing faith in his star forward.
Following a 3-1 defeat to AC Milan in the Champions League in November, Ancelotti delivered a stirring team talk that prompted soul-searching within the squad and inspired Mbappe to embrace a greater leadership role.
That moment, along with the manager’s public declaration that Mbappe’s “adaptation period is over,” signalled the beginning of his comeback.
In December, during a La Liga game against Sevilla, Mbappe delivered a standout performance in his side’s 4-2 victory, where he scored an outstanding long-range goal and provided a sublime assist.
In January, Mbappe raised his game even higher and scored his first hat-trick for Los Blancos in a 3-0 win over Real Valladolid, and the following month, he notched another hat-trick in the Champions League against Man City in a 3-1 knockout phase playoff victory.
By the season’s end, Mbappe had scored 55 goals in 87 UCL appearances, and he’s ranked eighth on the competition’s all-time scoring list at just 26 years old.
Mbappe’s resurgence was marked by a blistering run of form, netting 23 goals in his final 25 appearances of the 2024/25 season.
He finished La Liga with 31 goals in 34 matches, earning both the Pichichi Trophy and the European Golden Shoe, while also setting a new record for the most goals scored by a Real Madrid player in their debut season.
In addition to his scoring feats, Mbappe, France’s third all-time leading scorer with 50 goals, showed significant growth in his off-ball movement and defensive pressing.
His early struggles to gel with Vinicius Junior gave way to a flourishing partnership, as the pair combined for 12 goal involvements in the final 10 games of the campaign.
Kylian Mbappe – Record Breaker
Most La Liga Goals in a Debut Season for Real Madrid
Mbappe finished the 2024/25 campaign as Real Madrid’s top scorer with 31 league goals, edging out Robert Lewandowski (28) to claim the prestigious Pichichi award. His clinical finishing and consistent performances also earned him the club’s Player of the Season award.
Most Goals in a Debut Season for Real Madrid (All Competitions)
Despite a challenging start to life at the Bernabeu, Mbappe went on to break the long-standing record for most goals in a debut season for Real Madrid, netting 43 goals across all competitions.
This achievement surpassed Ivan Zamorano’s mark of 37 goals set in 1992/93. His prolific campaign also earned him the European Golden Shoe for the first time in his career.
First French Player to Score 29+ Goals in a Debut Season in Europe’s Top Four Leagues
Mbappe made history as the first French player to score at least 29 goals in his debut season at a club in one of Europe’s top four leagues (La Liga, Premier League, Bundesliga, and Serie A).
First Player to Score a Hat-Trick at Both Santiago Bernabéu and Camp Nou in Champions League History
With a hat-trick against Manchester City at the Santiago Bernabéu and another against Barcelona at the Estadi Olímpic Lluís Companys (Barcelona’s temporary home), Mbappe became the first player ever to score Champions League hat-tricks at both iconic venues.
Main Photo
Credit: IMAGO / AFLOSPORT
Recording Date: 19.02.2025