France international Kylian Mbappé has taken his place among football’s most prolific modern scorers after reaching 60 goals in a single calendar year.

Kylian Mbappe hit the milestone during Real Madrid’s 1-1 draw in La Liga on Sunday. His finish lifted his club tally for 2025 to 53, with the other seven coming while representing France.

Only three players this century had previously crossed the 60-goal threshold, a select group shaped by the brilliance of Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo. Mbappé now joins that club and sits sixth in the 21st-century rankings.

Messi’s astonishing 91 goals in 2012 remain the unrivalled high point. Ronaldo’s 69 in 2013 stands next to Robert Lewandowski’s 69 in 2021, while the Portuguese forward also delivered 63 in 2014 and 61 in 2012.

These figures once felt untouchable, yet Mbappé’s latest surge has brought him into the conversation with some of the most dominant attackers of the era.

With five fixtures still left before the year closes, the 26-year-old has time to climb further up the list. He currently leads the La Liga scoring chart with 14 goals, a return that has helped Madrid maintain their rhythm through a demanding run of matches.

Below is the updated chart of the most prolific scorers in a single calendar year this century:

91 goals, 2012 – Lionel Messi
69 goals, 2013 – Cristiano Ronaldo
69 goals, 2021 – Robert Lewandowski
63 goals, 2014 – Cristiano Ronaldo
61 goals, 2012 – Cristiano Ronaldo
60 goals, 2025 – Kylian Mbappé

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