Breaking the deadlock: Mbappe leads Europe in first goals

It was his fourth goal in four La Liga matches this season, and he also registered an assist for Arda Güler in the 2-1 win over Real Sociedad.

The strike marked his 48th goal in a Real Madrid shirt, further emphasising his impact when the team needs a breakthrough. As BeSoccer Pro highlights, Mbappe has become a decisive figure in tight contests as he has broken the 0-0 deadlock 14 times in 38 league matches.

When applying the same time frame to Europe’s major leagues, Mbappe leads the rankings. The closest competitor is Ante Budimir, who has opened the scoring 11 times in 41 games for Osasuna.

Behind them are names like Harry Kane, Robert Lewandowski, Chris Wood, and Julian Alvarez, all currently sitting on 10 opening goals.

Statistically, Mbappe delivers the opening goal in one out of every three matches — a crucial advantage that Real Madrid, and coach Xabi Alonso, have fully capitalised on this season. In fact, the Frenchman has opened the scoring three times in four games: against Osasuna, away at Real Oviedo, and most recently at Anoeta.

Following the goal against Real Sociedad, Mbappe has now scored 35 La Liga goals for Real Madrid across his two seasons. Within that span, he is the league’s top scorer.

Only Harry Kane (31) and Mohamed Salah (30) have also reached 30 goals in the same period. In terms of overall attacking contribution (goals plus assists), Salah stands alone with 49.

Only Barcelona have managed to stop him

Mbappe has featured in 63 matches for Real Madrid across all competitions, scoring in 35 of them. When he finds the net, Real Madrid wins 85.7% of the time: 30 wins, 2 draws, and just 3 defeats.

The two draws came in La Liga against Atletico Madrid (1-1) and Osasuna (1-1). The three defeats, however, were all against Barcelona — despite Mbappe scoring in each.

He found the net in the Spanish Super Cup final, which ended 5-2 in favour of the Catalans, and in the Copa del Rey final, a 3-2 loss.

Most recently, he scored a hat-trick in a dramatic 4-3 La Liga defeat at the Lluís Companys. Even when at his best, Barcelona remains the one team that has consistently denied him victory.