Kylian Mbappe scores his first hat-trick for Real Madrid: How long did Cristiano Ronaldo take?
Kylian Mbappe has reached a significant milestone in his Real Madrid career, scoring his first hat-trick during Matchday 21 of La Liga against bottom-placed Real Valladolid. After a challenging start to the season, the French superstar turned things around in style with three goals, sparking comparisons with Cristiano Ronaldo‘s timeline for achieving the same feat.
Mbappe opened the scoring in Real Madrid’s 3-0 victory in the 30th minute, converting a brilliant link-up play with Jude Bellingham. The forward doubled his tally in the 57th minute with a clinical strike to the far post, leaving the Valladolid defense stunned.
Late in the match, Bellingham earned a penalty after Mario Martin’s reckless tackle, which also resulted in a red card. Mbappe stepped up in stoppage time (90+1) to convert from the spot, completing his first hat-trick wearing a Real Madrid shirt.
The three-goal performance elevated Mbappe to second place in the La Liga top scorers’ chart with 15 goals, trailing only Barcelona’s Robert Lewandowski, who leads with 16. The Frenchman’s goal tally is even higher than that of Valladolid and Getafe, who have each scored just 14 goals this season, highlighting his growing influence in his first year with the club.
How long did it take Mbappe and Ronaldo to score their first hat-tricks for Real Madrid?
Kylian Mbappe’s hat-trick against Valladolid came in his 31st game for Real Madrid. Having joined the club in July 2024, the 24-year-old took seven months to deliver his first three-goal performance in a single match. It was also his first hat-trick since March 2024, when he achieved the feat with Paris Saint-Germain against Montpellier.
By comparison, Cristiano Ronaldo’s first hat-trick for Real Madrid came on May 5, 2010, in a La Liga clash against Mallorca on Matchday 36. In his debut 2009-10 season, Ronaldo required 33 matches across La Liga and the UEFA Champions League to score his first hat-trick for the Spanish giants.
Can Mbappe match Ronaldo’s legacy at Real Madrid?
Scoring his first hat-trick is undoubtedly a pivotal moment in Mbappe’s Real Madrid journey. It signifies a turning point following a slow start to the 2024-25 season. But can Mbappe match Ronaldo’s remarkable legacy of hat-tricks at the club?
Ronaldo holds an unparalleled record of 44 hat-tricks in a Real Madrid shirt, a feat that sets the benchmark for all players at the club. The closest to Ronaldo in this category is Karim Benzema, who managed six hat-tricks during his illustrious career in Madrid.
For Mbappe, catching up to Ronaldo’s staggering total will be a monumental challenge. However, this first hat-trick could pave the way for a successful future at the Bernabeu. For now, Mbappe has the opportunity to match the likes of Real Madrid legends Ruud van Nistelrooy and Ronaldo Nazario, who each recorded two hat-tricks for the club.