Kylian Mbappé broke the record for the most goals scored in a debut season at Real Madrid after scoring a hat trick in the team’s 4-3 loss to Barcelona on Sunday that all but sealed the LaLiga title for their rivals.
Mbappé’s three goals took his season total to 39 goals in all competitions in 2024-25, overtaking previous record-holder Ivan Zamorano, who scored 37 times in the 1992-93 season.
“Mbappé did well. The chances we had were very clear, we attacked the space well,” Madrid manager Carlo Ancelotti said after the match. “We scored three, and we could have scored more. In attack, the team had a clear idea. But we could have defended better. In the first 30 minutes, we should have done better. We mustn’t forget that we were missing five defenders today.”
Mbappé opened the scoring in Sunday’s LaLiga game at Montjuïc with a fifth-minute penalty, before doubling the visitors’ lead in the 14th minute, although Barcelona soon fought back to lead 4-2 at halftime.
The France forward completed his hat trick with an easy finish on 70 minutes to narrow the score at 4-3, but Madrid could not complete the fightback and now trail Barcelona by seven points with three games to play.
“Twice, we had the chance to make it 4-4. It was an even game, we competed and fought until the last second,” Ancelotti added. “We scored and it was offside. Against a great team, two great teams, there’s nothing to reproach my team in terms of attitude and commitment. It didn’t turn out well, but we competed.”
Mbappé faced some criticism for his form earlier in the season but has scored consistently all campaign, including in three of Madrid’s four Clásicos against Barça.
Last month, the he overtook Cristiano Ronaldo’s 33-goal tally from 2009-10 when he netted in Madrid’s 3-2 loss in the Copa del Rey final.
His goal in the Spanish Supercopa final in January also wasn’t enough to prevent a 5-2 defeat to Madrid’s Clásico rivals.
Mbappé said earlier this season that his goals would be “all for nothing” if Madrid didn’t deliver by winning major trophies.
The team have won the UEFA Super Cup and FIFA Intercontinental Cup this season, but lost the Supercopa and Copa del Rey finals, while they were eliminated from the Champions League at the quarterfinal stage.
