India, Dec. 22 -- Kylian Mbappe's year-end surge produced a Real Madrid milestone with a familiar echo. On December 21, Madrid beat Sevilla 2-0, and Mbappe's late penalty took him level with Cristiano Ronaldo's calendar-year scoring record for a Real Madrid player.

The timing addded theater: the strike arrived on Mbappe's 27th birthday. He celebrated with a tribute to his childhood idol, with CR7's trademark "Siu" and then turned to blow a kiss towards the cameras, a snapshot designed for the highlight reels and memory.

Mbappe is in his second season in Madrid, but the 2025 calendar year has still become his defining chapter so far; a relentless scoring rhythm, a decisive contribution in a league match win, and now a piece of club histo...