Kylian Mbappe Overtakes Ronaldo With Brace in Champions League Defeat to Benfica
- Kylian Mbappe has broken a Champions League record previously held by Cristiano Ronaldo after scoring twice against Benfica
- Ronaldo set the mark during his hugely successful spell at Real Madrid in the 2015/16 season
- Mbappé now holds the record outright following the conclusion of the league phase of this season’s competition on Wednesday
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Kylian Mbappe delivered a record-breaking performance on a painful night for Real Madrid as the Spanish giants fell 4-2 against SL Benfica in the Champions League on January 28, 2026.
The French forward struck twice at the Estadio da Luz to move past a milestone once owned by Cristiano Ronaldo, yet his brilliance could not prevent defeat.
The result pushed Madrid out of the top eight and into the playoff route, adding tension to an already dramatic evening.
Source: Getty Images
Mbappe breaks Ronaldo's Champions League record
Mbappe opened the scoring after the half-hour mark, guiding home a precise cross from Raul Asencio with calm assurance.
Madrid looked settled at that point, but the lead did not last. Six minutes later, Benfica punished a quick transition as Andreas Schjelderup finished neatly to restore parity.
Trouble deepened just before the interval. Vangelis Pavlidis converted from the spot during added time, swinging momentum toward the hosts.
Soon after the restart, Schjelderup struck again, capping a flowing move that left the visitors chasing shadows.
Mbappé tried to drag his side back into the contest. In the 58th minute, he met a clever pass from Arda Guler and swept the ball beyond the keeper to reduce the deficit. Hope flickered, though control never truly returned.
Late chaos summed up a frustrating outing. Madrid finished with nine players after dismissals for Asencio and Rodrygo.
Deep into stoppage time, Anatoliy Trubin found the net to seal a famous victory for the Portuguese side.
Still, Mbappe carved his name into tournament history. According to beIN Sports, his brace lifted his tally to 13 goals in this campaign, surpassing Ronaldo’s previous mark of 11 from the 2015/16 group phase.
Even in defeat, the forward stood tall, underlining his status as Madrid’s driving force this season, and, as expected, fans flocked to social media to serenade the Frenchman with praise:
@Shaaaayooo wrote:
"Young Legend."
@HereWeGoalX added:
"Fantastic player."
@adumetaj123 chimed in:
"Amazing."
Source: Getty Images
Real Madrid slip into UCL play-off spot
The outcome left Los Blancos ninth in the standings, one point shy of Manchester City, and outside the automatic qualification places.
They must now navigate an extra hurdle to reach the last sixteen.
Meanwhile, thanks to the stunning victory, the Portuguese club clinched a play-off spot at the very last second, edging out Olympique Marseille.
Why all UCL games were played on Wednesday
YEN.com.gh previously reported that all 18 matches on the final matchday of the UEFA Champions League league phase will kick off at the same time on Wednesday.
Teams finishing in the top eight move straight into the round of 16; those placed ninth to 24 enter the knockout play-offs, while sides ranked 25th to 36th are eliminated.
Source: YEN.com.gh
