"Doesn't impress people" - Kylian Mbappe makes Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi stat claim when asked about his goals milestone

Kylian Mbappe referred to Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo's goal-scoring numbers when asked about his outstanding feat. The Frenchman reached a staggering 400 career goals after scoring a brace in France's 4-0 win over Ukraine in the World Cup qualifiers.

Following his brace, Kylian Mbappe has recorded 400 career goals across competitions for club and country at just 26 years of age. This also sealed France's place in the 2026 FIFA World Cup. Mbappe is actually faster to reach this feat compared to Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo. According to Sports Illustrated, Ronaldo had 213 goals in 471 games across competitions at the age of 26. Meanwhile, Messi had 348 goals in 461 outings across competitions at the same age.

Therefore, Kylian Mbappe is on his way to compete fiercely with both Messi and Ronaldo's goal-scoring numbers. However, the Frenchman remained humble about reaching this astonishing feat. Speaking to COPE after the France vs Ukraine clash, the Frenchman said (via Madrid Universal):

"400 career goals? 400 goals don’t impress people. I want to make my mark in football history, so I have to score at least 400 more. There is one with 950+ goals, and another with 900+, 400 isn’t enough to stay in the circle of players who shock people."

Kylian Mbappe's comments were about Cristiano Ronaldo's record standing at 953 career goals as of this writing. Meanwhile, Lionel Messi boasts 894 goals as of now, with both players still continuing to add to these numbers (Both numbers exclude club friendlies).

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When Kylian Mbappe weighed in on the Lionel Messi vs Cristiano Ronaldo debate

Ronaldo and Mbappe (L to R) - Source: Getty

In a 2023 interview via SPORTBible, Kylian Mbappe was asked to share his thoughts on the eternal Lionel Messi vs. Cristiano Ronaldo debate. The Frenchman respected both legends, but said:

"I love Cristiano and I was a big fan of him when I was young but I start to learn Messi too because when you are a big fan of Cristiano when you are young, you can't see how Messi is good because you love Cristiano. But I grew up and I like both now."

Mbappe has shared the dressing room with Messi for two seasons from 2021 to 2023 at Paris Saint-Germain (PSG). The two recorded 34 joint-goal contributions in 67 outings across competitions. Meanwhile, the Frenchman has never played alongside Cristiano Ronaldo.

However, he is often considered one of Ronaldo's successors, especially after signing for his former club, Real Madrid, in the summer of 2024. Mbappe has been vocal about his admiration for the legendary Portuguese, while also fondly remembering his time playing with Lionel Messi.