LISBON — On a night defined by historical milestones and dramatic collapses, Kylian Mbappé etched his name deeper into Real Madrid lore. Despite a stinging 4-2 defeat at the hands of Benfica on Wednesday, January 28, 2026, Mbappé officially surpassed Cristiano Ronaldo’s long-standing record for the most goals scored in the opening phase of a single Champions League campaign.
Mbappé’s brace at the Estádio da Luz took his tally to 13 goals in just seven appearances this season, eclipsing Ronaldo’s mark of 11 goals set during the 2015-16 season.
1. The Record-Breaking Numbers
Mbappé is not just leading the Golden Boot race; he is redefining efficiency in the competition’s new “League Phase” format.
- The New Benchmark: 13 goals in 7 games (averaging 1.85 goals per match).
- Surpassing Icons: He has now moved past Cristiano Ronaldo (11), Lionel Messi (10), and Robert Lewandowski (10) for the most prolific start to a UCL season.
- The Golden Boot Gap: Mbappé currently leads the 2025-26 scoring charts by a massive five-goal margin over Harry Kane.
2. Match Recap: Chaos in Lisbon
While Mbappé shone, Real Madrid’s defense crumbled under the “Mourinho Masterclass.”
- The Goals: Mbappé opened the scoring with a powerful header in the 29th minute and added a second in the 58th minute.
- The Collapse: Benfica roared back with two goals from Andreas Schjelderup and a Vangelis Pavlidis penalty.
- The Keeper’s Heroics: In the 98th minute, with Benfica needing one more goal to stay in the competition, goalkeeper Anatoliy Trubin went up for a corner and scored a historic header to make it 4-2.
- The Disciplinary Meltdown: Real Madrid finished the game with 9 men after late red cards for Raul Asencio and Rodrygo.
3. Champions League Golden Boot Race (2025-26)
| Rank | Player | Club | Goals | Appearances |
| 1 | Kylian Mbappé | Real Madrid | 13 | 7 |
| 2 | Harry Kane | Bayern Munich | 8 | 8 |
| 3 | Erling Haaland | Man City | 7 | 8 |
| 4 | Victor Osimhen | Galatasaray | 6 | 8 |
| 5 | Gabriel Martinelli | Arsenal | 6 | 8 |
4. What’s Next: The Path to Ronaldo’s “17”
Real Madrid’s 9th-place finish in the league phase means they have missed out on automatic qualification for the Round of 16.
- The Playoff Route: Los Blancos must now navigate a two-legged knockout playoff.
- The Upside: While extra games add fatigue, they provide Mbappé with a longer runway to chase Ronaldo’s all-time single-season record of 17 goals (set in 2013-14). At his current scoring rate, Mbappé could potentially shatter the record if Madrid reaches the semi-finals.