With the Champions League Back, All Eyes on Real Madrid and Manchester City
The Champions League is back in full swing, and fans are closely watching Real Madrid and Manchester City, the last two winners of the competition. Both teams are yet to secure their spots in the round of 32 or the play-offs for the round of 16.
Both sides need their French stars, Kylian Mbappe and Erling Haaland, to step up in the last two games of the group stage. Their performances could help their teams continue in the tournament, whether through the play-offs or by direct qualification to the round of 16.
Mbappe and Haaland, regarded by many as the best players in the world, are seen as the future of football. Their rivalry could echo the legendary battle between Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi as they chase individual awards in the coming years.
Fans of Real Madrid and Manchester City hold high hopes for their stars, not just to qualify for the next round but to challenge for the title. Many supporters believe Mbappe and Haaland can match the Champions League records of Ronaldo and Messi, especially since the two icons are now winding down their careers in Saudi Arabia and the United States.
A Promising Start
Kylian Mbappe first made headlines as a teenager at Monaco, debuting for the senior team on 2 December 2015. Less than two years later, he scored his first Champions League goal against Manchester City at the Etihad Stadium during the round of 16, making him the second-youngest French player to score in the competition at 18 years and 71 days, after Karim Benzema.
Since then, Mbappe has achieved remarkable numbers. He has 50 Champions League goals in 79 matches for Monaco, Paris Saint-Germain, and Real Madrid, along with 27 assists.
Erling Haaland, at 24 years old and two years younger than Mbappe, began his career with Molde. He played his first Champions League match in 2018 for Red Bull Salzburg against Genk. Haaland scored a hat-trick in the first half, becoming the only player to achieve such a feat in their debut half in the competition.
Haaland continued to impress, scoring in his next two games against Liverpool and Napoli. By the third match, he became the second player under 20 to score in his first three Champions League games, following Karim Benzema. Haaland also became the first player to score six goals in his first three matches, later extending that record in the fourth game. Now, Haaland has 45 goals in 46 games for Salzburg, Borussia Dortmund, and Manchester City.
Breaking Records
Mbappe became the fastest player to reach 40 Champions League goals, achieving it in 59 matches. However, Haaland later broke this record by scoring his 40th goal in just 35 games.
Despite these achievements, both players may face challenges in scoring as many goals after turning 30, a feat where Ronaldo and Messi excelled. Ronaldo scored 68 of his 141 Champions League goals after 30, while Robert Lewandowski scored 56 of his 101 goals, and Messi scored 50 of his 129 goals.
Ronaldo holds the record for most goals in a single Champions League season with 17 and has topped the scoring charts seven times. However, with Mbappe and Haaland’s current scoring rates, their presence in top teams, and the expanded format of the Champions League, they could come close to Ronaldo and Messi’s records.
Mbappe’s contract with Real Madrid runs until 2029, when he will be 29, while Haaland’s deal with Manchester City keeps him at the club until 2034, when he will be 34. This provides both players with plenty of opportunities to build on their impressive records.
