Kylian Mbappe reacted to his astonishing 400 career goals milestone by referencing the legendary scoring numbers of Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi. The French superstar scored a brilliant brace in France’s 4-0 win over Ukraine in the 2026 World Cup qualifiers, securing his nation’s ticket to the tournament.
At just 26 years old, Mbappe has already reached 400 goals for club and country — faster than both Ronaldo and Messi. According to Sports Illustrated:
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Cristiano Ronaldo had 213 goals in 471 games at age 26
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Lionel Messi had 348 goals in 461 games at age 26
This puts Mbappe on an elite trajectory, potentially rivaling the two greatest scorers in football history.
Despite the achievement, the French star remained humble and ambitious. Speaking to COPE (via Madrid Universal), Mbappe said:
“400 career goals? 400 goals don’t impress people. I want to make my mark in football history, so I have to score at least 400 more. There is one with 950+ goals, and another with 900+, 400 isn’t enough to stay in the circle of players who shock people.”
He was referring to:
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Cristiano Ronaldo’s 953 career goals (excluding friendlies)
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Lionel Messi’s 894 career goals (excluding friendlies)
Both legends continue adding to their tallies, and Mbappe is chasing them with full intent.
🐐⚔️ When Mbappe Weighed in on the Messi vs Ronaldo Debate
In a 2023 interview with SPORTBible, Mbappe gave his honest perspective on the eternal GOAT debate:
“I love Cristiano and I was a big fan of him when I was young… but I start to learn Messi too… I grew up and I like both now.”
Mbappe:
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Played 2 seasons with Lionel Messi at PSG (2021–2023)
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Combined for 34 goal contributions in 67 games
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Has never played with Cristiano Ronaldo
Yet he has always publicly admired Ronaldo — and after joining Real Madrid in 2024, many consider Mbappe the Portuguese icon’s spiritual successor.
With 400 goals already secured and no signs of slowing down, Kylian Mbappe may be the only modern player capable of chasing the unreachable heights set by Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo.
