Arbeloa suggests Kylian Mbappé could equal Cristiano Ronaldo’s achievements at Real Madrid.
Coach Álvaro Arbeloa stated that Kylian Mbappé “possesses the attributes” to replicate the “extraordinary” influence of Cristiano Ronaldo at Real Madrid.
The prominent forward netted his 38th goal of the season during the team’s 2-0 victory against Valencia on Sunday.
Left-back Álvaro Carreras initiated the scoring in the 65th minute at Mestalla, followed by Mbappé adding a second goal in stoppage time, securing a win that keeps Madrid just one point behind league leaders Barcelona at the top of LaLiga.
Mbappé — who has now tallied 23 league goals in his second season in Spain, along with 13 in the Champions League and two in the Copa del Rey — still has a considerable journey ahead to reach Ronaldo, who holds the record as Madrid’s all-time leading scorer with 450 goals over nine seasons.
“We believed we wouldn’t witness anything akin to Cristiano, but [Mbappé] is progressing well,” Arbeloa remarked to Real Madrid TV following Sunday’s match, elaborating further in his post-match press conference.
“At this moment, he is undoubtedly the best player in the world,” Arbeloa continued.
“What Cristiano achieved seemed otherworldly and impossible to replicate, as if no one could come close. Kylian has a long road ahead, as Cris was here for many years. However, Kylian has the qualities to follow in his footsteps. You never know. If anyone can accomplish it, it’s Kylian.”
Mbappé has now accumulated 81 goals across all competitions since his arrival at Madrid in the summer of 2024, although he has yet to secure a major trophy with the club.
Arbeloa also addressed his decision to field young David Jiménez at right-back at Mestalla, despite having more seasoned players like Dani Carvajal and Trent Alexander-Arnold available on the bench.
Alexander-Arnold was brought on in the 76th minute, while Carvajal remained an unused substitute, as both players continue their rehabilitation from injuries.
“The ability for academy players to participate in a match like this and make a contribution is excellent news,” Arbeloa noted. “With Trent, after a lengthy absence, we will proceed with caution. We want [recovering players] to regain their rhythm gradually. With Trent, it will be approached in that manner.”
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Alexander-Arnold has logged only 406 minutes in LaLiga this season — with the match against Valencia marking his first appearance of 2026 — while Carvajal has played even less.
“Dani is improving in training consistently,” Arbeloa remarked when asked about Carvajal. “We will not take any chances. During our days off, he was working at [Madrid’s training ground] Valdebebas. I don’t need to emphasize how crucial Dani is in the locker room.”
Arbeloa defended the team’s display against Valencia, which saw them face challenges in creating opportunities prior to Carreras’ opening goal.
“We understand that coming to Mestalla is akin to visiting the dentist,” Arbeloa stated. “We were aware of the difficulties this match would present. It was a very serious and committed performance from the players.”
