MADRID: French superstar Kylian Mbappe is close to making history at Real Madrid like his idol Cristiano Ronaldo, said his coach Xabi Alonso on Saturday.
After finishing last season in top form and starting the current campaign superbly, Mbappe has netted 55 goals with Real Madrid in 2025 and is just four away from matching the record set in 2013 by Ronaldo of 59, as the club’s top scorer in a calendar year.
Mbappe has been increasingly compared to all-time top Madrid goalscorer Ronaldo by the Spanish press for his growing influence and ability to rack up goals.
“Kylian is on his way to making history at Real Madrid like Cristiano did. Not just because of the importance he has in the team, but also because of the ambition he conveys and the number of goals he scores,” Alonso told a news conference.
“Kylian is one of the chosen ones. He has this desire within him not just to do things well, but also to have a positive influence on others. This is something he shares with Cristiano — this contagious ambition that inspires the rest of the team.”
Winning the European Golden Shoe and La Liga’s top scorer award last season with 31 goals, Mbappe is currently operating at an even higher level, with 16 goals scored in 15 matches played, and nine in five Champions League games.
As a child Mbappe admitted he had posters of Ronaldo on his bedroom walls and he can take a step closer to Ronaldo’s record when Celta Vigo visit the Bernabeu on Sunday in La Liga.
Real Madrid face Erling Haaland’s Manchester City in the Champions League on December 10 before league games against Alaves and Sevilla, giving Mbappe four matches to catch Ronaldo.
Portugal international Ronaldo scored 450 goals in 438 matches for Real Madrid, with Mbappe currently on 69 goals in 79 games since joining from Paris Saint-Germain in 2024.
’Chosen’ Mbappe on way to making Real Madrid history like Ronaldo: Alonso
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’Chosen’ Mbappe on way to making Real Madrid history like Ronaldo: Alonso
- Mbappe has been increasingly compared to all-time top Madrid goalscorer Ronaldo by the Spanish press
- “Kylian is on his way to making history at Real Madrid like Cristiano did,” Alonso told a news conference
Preparations intensify for the Hail Toyota International Baja
- Lineup underscores the rally’s growing stature on the regional and global motorsport calendar
- Route passes through the Great Nafud Desert, one of the region’s most distinctive natural landscapes
HAIL: With just seven days remaining until the start, attention across the motorsport and rally community is turning to Hail, as preparations intensify for the Hail Toyota International Baja, scheduled to take place from Jan 28–31.
The rally is organized by the Saudi Automobile and Motorcycle Federation, under the supervision of the Ministry of Sport, in cooperation with the Hail Region Emirate and the Hail Region Development Authority. Jameel Motorsport is the official partner, alongside the Saudi Motorsport Marshals Club.
This year’s edition brings together a strong slate of international and regional championships, including the FIA World Baja Cup, the FIA Middle East Baja Cup, the FIM World Baja Cup and the FIM Asia Baja Cup, in addition to the opening round of the Saudi Toyota Baja Championship. The lineup underscores the rally’s growing stature on the regional and global motorsport calendar.
Competitors will face demanding conditions, with the rally staged amid Hail’s cold winter climate and across varied terrain. The route passes through the Great Nafud Desert, one of the region’s most distinctive natural landscapes, known for its towering dunes, expansive golden sands and technically challenging tracks that demand high levels of driving skill and navigational precision.
The rally program features broad participation across multiple categories and consists of three competitive stages. Action begins with a prologue covering 35 kilometers, including a 6-kilometer timed special stage. This is followed by the first stage spanning 417 kilometers, with 245 kilometers against the clock, before the second and final stage over 323 kilometers, including a 151-kilometer timed section.
Alongside the sporting action, the 2026 Hail Toyota International Baja will offer a comprehensive program of accompanying activities, providing an integrated experience for visitors and residents alike. The program combines sport, entertainment and community engagement, contributing to increased tourism and economic activity in the Hail region.
