Christiano Ronaldo cemented his legacy as one of the greatest players not only in football history, but in history Real Madrid‘s storied past, a club with more than 100 years of history and countless legends. Yes, according to former teammate and current club coach Alvaro Arbeloa, there is one player in the current squad who could ultimately surpass what the Portuguese superstar in white has achieved.
A World Cup winner and two European Championships with Spain, Arbeloa spent most of his playing career at Real Madridplayed in 238 games before leaving for West Ham in 2016. During that period, he won two UEFA Champions League titles alongside Ronaldo (2013–14 and 2015–16). Now that he is taking on a coaching role, the Spaniard believes he is witnessing an equally special talent within the club.
After Sunday’s 2-0 win over Valencia, Arbeloa was questioned Kylian Mbappe – what it’s like to coach him and whether the French star could ever surpass Ronaldo’s impact at the club. “We are very lucky to have him. He is currently the best player in the world based on what he shows match after match.Arbeloa said.What Cristiano did seemed otherworldly, impossible to match, and like no one could even come close.“
The Spanish coach then expanded on his point. “Kylian still has a long way to go because Cris has spent many years here, but he has the qualities to follow in his footsteps. Why not surpass him? It’s not easy, but if anyone can do it, it’s Kylian.Arbeloa added.
Real Madrid’s Kylian Mbappé celebrates his goal against Valencia.
Mbappé played a decisive role against Valencia, sealing the 2-0 win in stoppage time with a close-range finish after a perfectly weighted cross from Brahim Díaz. The goal underlined his current form, as the Frenchman is currently maintaining the highest scoring run in Europe’s top five leagues, with seven goals in his last six La Liga games.
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By the end of 2025, Mbappé had already begun to approach Ronaldo’s record for most goals scored by a Real Madrid player in a single calendar year, and he recently overtook the Portuguese icon as the club’s top scorer in the Champions League group stage. Although he is yet to lift the trophy with Los Blancos, Arbeloa believes that, at 27, Mbappe has the tools to build a legacy that could rival or even eclipse Ronaldo’s.
Mbappé continues to make history at Real Madrid
The 2025-26 Golden Boot race is heating up, with all three main contenders finding the net on Sunday: Harry Kane leads the way with 24 goalsclosely followed by Mbappe at 23while Erling Haaland is third with 21. Yet Mbappe’s dominance in La Liga remains unparalleled as he continues to engrave his name in Real Madrid’s record books.
With his goal against Valencia Mbappé scored 23 goals in the first 23 matchdays of the 2025/26 La Liga seasonwith an average of exactly one goal per match. Just a handful of Real Madrid legends, including Pahino, Alfredo di Stefano, Ferenc Puskas, Hugo SanchezAnd Christiano Ronaldohave achieved that goal, with Ronaldo being the only player to do it four times.
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