Mbappe breaks Ronaldo's record despite Copa del Rey final defeat to Barcelona

Kylian Mbappe has surpassed Cristiano Ronaldo's record for the second most goals scored by a Real Madrid player in their debut season in the 3-2 Copa del Rey final defeat to Barcelona.

The French star scored a free-kick in the second half, the first direct one of his career, to pull Real Madrid level in the game; however, they eventually lost the match. 

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The deadlock was broken in the 29th minute when Pedri orchestrated a clinical finish, laying off a pass to Lamine Yamal, who cleverly cut it back for Pedri to unleash a thunderous shot that left Courtois with no chance.

Real Madrid brought on Kylian Mbappé at halftime, and he nearly made an instant impact when Jude Bellingham picked him out with a precise pass. However, Mbappé would eventually make his mark on the game with a stunning direct free-kick that earned Real a crucial lifeline.

The match swung wildly in favour of Real when Aurélien Tchouaméni rose highest to meet Arda Güler's pinpoint corner, powering home a majestic header that gave his side the ascendancy. Yet, Barcelona refused to yield, and their determination paid off when Lamine Yamal delivered a sublime assist for Ferran Torres to calmly slot the ball past Courtois.

The dramatic conclusion came courtesy of Koundé, who delivered the knockout blow with a precise, low-driven finish into the bottom corner, securing a thrilling win for Barcelona

The free-kick in the 70th minute was the former PSG star’s 34th goal of the season, taking him ahead of Cristiano Ronaldo, who scored 33 in his first season as a Los Blancos, according to Stats Foot. 

Occupying the number one position is Ivan Zamorano, who scored 37 goals in 1992/93, his debut season. Mbappe is three goals away, and with five LALIGA games remaining, that number is certainly attainable.