Kylian Mbappe closed the year with a flourish and a historic moment. On his 27th birthday, the French star reached 59 goals in a calendar year, equaling the record set by his idol, Cristiano Ronaldo, in 2013 while wearing the white shirt of Real Madrid. That boy who in 2012 was photographed with the Portuguese player at Valdebebas is now writing his own legend at the Santiago Bernabeu, following in the footsteps of "The Beast."

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The road to this milestone wasn't easy and was full of drama until the final minutes of the 2-0 victory against Sevilla. Mbappe arrived at the last match of the year under pressure, having relentlessly sought a goal throughout the month, including his recent participation in the Copa del Rey against Talavera, where his two goals were key to advancing.

However, in Saturday's match, the goal seemed to elude him. The Frenchman attempted seven shots, including a shot off the crossbar in the 57th minute that sent the crowd into a frenzy.

His teammates, especially Arda Guler—who has become his best partner with seven assists this season—constantly looked for him, even when the Frenchman wasn't the clearest option. It wasn't until the 86th minute that the suspense ended. Rodrygo won a penalty, and Mbappe, with his characteristic composure, converted it. To celebrate his 59th goal of the year, the striker imitated Cristiano Ronaldo's iconic jump and "siu" shout, a gesture that sparked euphoria in Madrid. A tribute to the idol and the fight for La Liga. After the final whistle, Mbappe didn't hide his emotion at the symbolism of the date and the record he had achieved. “It’s a special day because it’s my birthday. I always say it’s a dream to play a professional match on my birthday, and it’s a dream to do it for Real Madrid. It was very important to win the match, to finish the year with a positive result, and it’s incredible to have a first year like this. To equal my idol at Real Madrid is an honor,” he told Real Madrid TV.

The French striker revealed that he maintains a close relationship with the Portuguese star, who has been a guide in his adaptation process to the most decorated club in Europe. “I wanted to give him a shout-out because he has always been very kind to me and has given me a lot of advice on how to adapt to Real Madrid. This is for him, for my childhood idol. I have a great relationship with him, he's a friend of mine now, and I send him my regards,” he added with a smile.

Although Mbappe needed 58 games to reach 59 goals—eight more than Cristiano required at his peak—his overall numbers at Real Madrid are devastating: 73 goals and 10 assists in 83 matches. With this victory, the Merengues are now just one point behind FC Barcelona in the standings, pending the Catalan side's result against Villarreal.