Real Madrid News
Kylian Mbappe achieves unprecedented feat not even managed by Messi or Ronaldo
Kylian Mbappe’s 2025/26 season will be remembered as one of the greatest individual goalscoring campaigns in modern football.
France’s World Cup journey ended in disappointment with a semi-final defeat to Spain, but that setback did little to overshadow what the Real Madrid forward had already achieved.
By finishing as the leading scorer in La Liga, the UEFA Champions League and the 2026 FIFA World Cup, Mbappe has become the first player in football history to top the scoring charts in all three competitions in the same season.
Neither great players like Lionel Messi nor Cristiano Ronaldo managed to complete that remarkable treble during their careers, placing Mbappe’s milestone in elite company.
A season of goals from Madrid to the World Cup
Mbappe has carried Real Madrid’s attack throughout a difficult campaign in which team success failed to match his individual brilliance.
After scoring 44 goals in his debut season following his arrival from Paris Saint-Germain in 2024, the Frenchman followed it up with another outstanding year, finding the net 42 times across all competitions.
Out of those 42 goals, 25 came in La Liga alone, with Vedat Muriqi of Mallorca finishing second with 23 goals.
Despite his consistency in front of goal, though, Real Madrid endured another frustrating season without lifting a major trophy.
Furthermore, even in Europe, where Madrid were eliminated by Bayern Munich in the Champions League quarter-finals, Mbappe still ended the competition as its top scorer with 15 goals.
His form continued into the World Cup.
Although France fell short of reaching the final, Mbappe finished the tournament with 10 goals, comfortably securing the Golden Boot ahead of Lionel Messi, who ended the competition with eight.
A record that stands alone
Great goalscorers have dominated individual competitions before, but combining domestic, European and international supremacy in a single season has never previously been achieved.
Winning the La Liga Pichichi Trophy demands consistency over an entire league campaign.
Finishing as the Champions League’s leading scorer requires delivering against Europe’s strongest opposition, while topping the World Cup scoring charts means excelling on football’s biggest international stage under immense pressure.
Mbappe managed all three in the same season.
It is that combination, not just the raw number of goals, that makes the achievement unique.
Across nine months, he proved decisive for both club and country, producing top numbers in every major competition he entered.
One of the main objectives for Real Madrid this summer was to bring in a new central midfielder capable of controlling the tempo and dictating the play from the middle.
A move for Rodri was in the works before the Spain captain decided to sign for FC Barcelona. The Merengues assessed several other options, but ended up not signing any player, with Jose Mourinho deciding to use Bernardo Silva in the double pivot.
One of the midfielders that Real Madrid were looking at as an option was Adam Wharton of Crystal Palace.
The England international has been on the club’s radar for a while now, but the Premier League club never opened the door for a summer departure.
Wharton could be on the market in 2027
However, now, according to The Guardian (h/t Bernabeu Digital), That stance could change next year, as that Palace would be prepared to consider selling Wharton during the next summer transfer window.
As mentioned already, Real Madrid have closely followed Wharton’s situation throughout the summer, although the club ultimately decided against making any further additions to their midfield.
Manchester City and Chelsea also showed serious interest in signing the England international during the summer. However, Crystal Palace were unwilling to sell, effectively ruling out a move for the midfielder.
But it appears that they could open the doors for Wharton to leave in the summer of 2027, potentially paving the way for Real Madrid to make a move.
Real Madrid continue to monitor Wharton
Real Madrid are expected to keep a close eye on Wharton’s progress ahead of the 2027 market. Should they decide they need another high-quality midfielder, the 22-year-old could once again emerge as a candidate.
Manchester City may be less likely to return for Wharton after strengthening their midfield significantly this summer.
Chelsea, however, could remain a potential competitor after failing to add a player in the position during the latest window.
For now, Wharton will remain at Crystal Palace, but the club’s willingness to consider a sale next summer means the midfielder could become a realistic option for Real Madrid in 2027.
