Real Madrid closed out 2025 with a 2-0 victory over Sevilla at the Santiago Bernabeu on Saturday. The win came on a special day for Kylian Mbappé. He turned 27 and scored the second goal from a penalty in the 86th minute. That strike was his 59th for Real Madrid in the calendar year. It matched the club record set by Cristiano Ronaldo back in 2013.
Jude Bellingham got things started for Madrid. He headed in a free kick from Rodrygo in the 38th minute. That put the home side ahead 1-0 going into halftime. Sevilla held on for a while.
They even created some chances early on. But things got harder for them when Marcao picked up a second yellow card in the 68th minute. He was sent off, leaving Sevilla with 10 players.
Madrid controlled the game more after that. Mbappé had a few shots earlier but couldn’t find the net. Then, late in the match, Rodrygo was brought down in the box by Juanlu Sánchez. The referee pointed to the spot. Mbappé stepped up and calmly sent the keeper the wrong way. The Bernabeu crowd went wild.
Right after scoring, Mbappé did Ronaldo’s famous “siuu” celebration. He jumped, turned, and cupped his ears. Fans loved it. It was a clear nod to his idol. After the game, Mbappé spoke to club media.
He called Ronaldo the greatest player in Real Madrid history. “It’s an honour to match what my idol did,” he said. He added that Ronaldo has always been kind to him and helped him adjust to life at the club.
This was Madrid’s last game of 2025. They ended the year with three straight wins in all competitions. The team had some ups and downs under coach Xabi Alonso.
They lost the top spot in La Liga for a bit in November with a few draws. But this result pulled them within one point of leaders Barcelona. Barca play Villarreal on Sunday.
Mbappé has been the standout player for Madrid this year. He joined from Paris Saint-Germain in 2024. His first few months were okay, but not amazing. By 2025, he was scoring freely. Including national team games for France, he hit around 65 goals total. For Madrid alone, those 59 came in 59 matches. That’s an incredible rate.
Ronaldo set his record over a full season in 2013. He was at his peak then, scoring all kinds of goals. Mbappé reached the same number in fewer games for the club this year. He almost broke it too.
Late in the game, Madrid got another penalty call. But VAR overturned it. It was ruled a foul just outside the box. Mbappé took the free kick but put it over the bar.
Goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois made some key saves to keep a clean sheet. Sevilla pushed hard at times, even after going down to 10 men. Isaac Romero had a couple of good looks but couldn’t beat Courtois.
Fans at the Bernabeu gave Mbappé a big ovation on his birthday. The atmosphere was good despite the team not always playing at their best this season. Alonso has talked about needing more from everyone. But on this night, the focus was on Mbappé’s milestone.
This record ties Mbappé to one of the club’s legends right away. Ronaldo scored 450 goals in total for Madrid. Mbappé is already at 73 in fewer games. He’s only been there a short time. Many think he could chase more records in the coming years.
The win gives Madrid momentum heading into the new year. They’ll look to build on it when the season resumes. For Mbappé, matching Ronaldo is a huge personal achievement. He dedicated the goal and celebration to his friend and role model. It’s a moment that will be remembered by Madrid supporters.
Overall, it was a fitting end to the year for the French star. He keeps proving why the club brought him in. Goals like these show he’s settling in well under Alonso. The team will hope for more in 2026.
