Real Madrid superstar Kylian Mbappe scored his fourth Champions League hat-trick on Tuesday evening during Los Blancos’ 5-0 demolition of Kazakh side Kairat.
Despite failing to win a major trophy in his first year at the Bernabeu, the French striker has been a revelation in Spain since his arrival on a free transfer from Paris Saint-Germain in 2024.
Mbappe scored 44 goals in his debut campaign, and his goalscoring form has shown no signs of slowing down this season either, particularly on Tuesday evening.
His first came from the spot - his fourth conversion this season - while the second was a delightful chip over Sherkhan Kalmurza in the hosts' net; remarkably assisted by goalkeeper Thibault Courtois.
The third that sealed the milestone hat-trick for the French star was a piledriver from the edge of the box and into the bottom corner.
Astonishingly, the striker could have had a couple more.
Real Madrid superstar Kylian Mbappe scored his fourth Champions League hat-trick on Tuesday evening during Los Blancos’ 5-0 demolition of Kazakh side Kairat
|REUTERS
Most notably, when Vinicius Junior squared the ball to the French international, who had the goal at his mercy, but instead missed the target.
Second-half substitutes Eduardo Camavinga and Brahim Diaz completed the rout for the Spanish giants, but it was Mbappe who stole the headlines, taking the match ball and Man of the Match award back to Madrid.
A frustrated Kylian Mbappe new he could have had more on the night
|REUTERS
The treble marked Mbappe’s fourth Champions League hat-trick; only Lionel Messi, Cristiano Ronaldo (8) and Robert Lewandowski (6) have scored more in the competition.
It also meant the 26-year-old joined Champions League royalty in the ’60-goal club’, a club with just seven members: Messi, Ronaldo, Lewandowski, Karim Benzema, Raul, Ruud van Nistelrooy and now Mbappe.
Mbappe has scored more goals in the competition already than legends such as Thomas Muller, Thierry Henry, Zlatan Ibrahimovic and Sergio Aguero.
**SIGN UP FOR OUR FREE DAILY GB NEWS SPORTS NEWSLETTER HERE**
The former PSG star has now already netted 15 goals for club and country this season, 13 in Real Madrid white, but after the game reminded Madridistas of the disappointing league result at the weekend.
Saturday evening saw Xabi Alonso’s side travel to intra-city rivals Atletico Madrid; this time it was their turn to ship five goals in a humiliating 5-2 derby day defeat.
LATEST SPORTS NEWS:
Real Madrid put Kazakh side Kairat to the sword on the night
|REUTERS
“We were good tonight, but we can never forget what happened last weekend,” Mbappe said after the game.
“We need to get a lot better; we need to improve.
“My missed chances? When I have the chance to score five, I need to score five goals. Three… I always want more.
“My job is to help the team. If I can help the team other than scoring, that’s good too.”
Mbappe has evolved into a leader since his move to Madrid over a year ago.
With the club investing heavily in youth, such as Arda Guler, Endrick and Franco Mastantuono, Mbappe’s experience at the highest level, plus his stature in the game, naturally means he has taken on the mantle on the pitch.