Mbappe has broken the record previously held by Messi
Kylian Mbappé became the youngest ever player to reach 30 Champions League goals when he scored against Club Brugge on Tuesday night.
The Frenchman scored a quickfire double as the Parisians secured a comfortable 4-1 victory against the Belgian outfit, breaking a long-standing competition record in the process.
The 22-year-old netted twice in the opening seven minutes, scoring his 30th goal in the competition in the second minute of the fixture to break the record previously held by current team-mate Lionel Messi and become the youngest player to reach that landmark.
Mbappe is fast approaching his 23rd birthday, but was aged 22 years and 352 days when he scored the opener at the Parc des Princes – while Messi was 23 years and 131 days old when he reached the landmark in 2010.
As well as surpassing the Argentine attacker, the former Monaco man has reached the landmark quicker than a host of legendary forwards.
Kylian Mbappe is in some esteemed company in the Champions League 📈#UCL pic.twitter.com/wmPeMc1xHF
— Football on TNT Sports (@footballontnt) December 7, 2021
Real Madrid legend Raul was 24 years and 91 days old when he scored his 30th Champions League goal, with Karim Benzema reaching the target aged 25 years 105 days.
Germany and Bayern Munich frontman Thomas Müller was 26 years and 3 days old when he bagged his 30th goal, followed by Arsenal hero Thierry Henry who did it aged 26 years and 206 days.
Neymar (26 years and 240 days), Cristiano Ronaldo (26 years and 270 days) and Ruud van Nistelrooy (26 years and 296 days) all reached the target aged 26 as well, with Robert Lewandowski scoring his 30th Champions League goal at the age of 27 years and 110 days.
Although Mauricio Pochettino’s side couldn’t leapfrog Manchester City into first place in Group A of Europe’s most elite competition, they finished off the group stages in style.
As well as Mbappe’s two goals, his forward partner Messi grabbed a brace to take his Champions League tally to five goals for Les Parisiens so far this season.
The victory comes after a difficult week for Pochettino and his team after being held to successive Ligue 1 draws by Nice and Lens respectively.
Mbappe’s brace on Tuesday takes his PSG record to 173 goals and 109 assists in 261 appearances for the Parisians, having registered 26 goal contributions already this campaign.
Related links:
- Zlatan Ibrahimovic reveals he told Kylian Mbappe to leave PSG
- Kylian Mbappe ‘getting closer’ to Real Madrid transfer next summer
- Mauricio Pochettino says Mbappé is as good as Messi and Ronaldo
