Real Madrid boss Alvaro Arbeloa says Kylian Mbappe can surpass Cristiano Ronaldo's record after starring in win at Valencia to close gap on Barcelona

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Real Madrid head coach Alvaro Arbeloa described Kylian Mbappe as "the best player in the world" after another goalscoring display in the 2-0 win at Valencia which reduced the gap to La Liga leaders Barcelona to one point. Cristiano Ronaldo remains Madrid's all-time leading marksman with 450 goals across nine seasons, while Mbappe has found the net 81 times since joining in the summer of 2024.

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Alvaro Arbeloa believes Kylian Mbappe possesses the qualities required to one day rival Cristiano Ronaldo's extraordinary goalscoring tally at Real Madrid, insisting the France forward is firmly on the right path to eclipsing the club's legendary former talisman.

Mbappe notched his 38th goal of the season in Madrid's routine 2-0 victory away to Valencia on Sunday, sealing the result in stoppage time after left-back Alvaro Carreras had broken the deadlock in the 65th minute at Mestalla.

The victory means it is as you were in La Liga, with Madrid one point behind La Liga leaders Barcelona as the title race gathers momentum.

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Now in his second season in Spain, Mbappe has found the net 23 times in the league, added 13 more goals in the UEFA Champions League and a further two in the Copa del Rey - emphasising his predatory instincts.

Mbappe's overall tally of 81 goals since arriving in the summer of 2024 from Paris Saint-Germain underlines his immediate impact, though Arbeloa was careful to place those numbers in historical context.

Ronaldo remains Madrid's all-time leading marksman with 450 goals across nine seasons - a benchmark few have ever approached.

"We thought we wouldn’t see anything like Cristiano again," Arbeloa told Real Madrid TV following victory at the Mestalla. "What he did looked impossible to match.

"Kylian still has a long way to go because Cristiano was here for many years, but he has the qualities to follow that path. If anyone can do it, it’s Kylian." Arbeloa later added: "Right now, he’s the best player in the world."

Tchouameni backs Mbappe to eclipse Ronaldo

Mbappe’s individual brilliance has yet to translate into major silverware at the club, but his scoring consistency continues to drive Madrid’s domestic and European ambitions. With 24 goals, only Bayern Munich's Harry Kane has scored more across Europe's top five leagues so far this term.

France midfielder Aurelien Tchouameni agreed with his manager's point of view, in an interview with Spanish radio station Onda Cero.

"Do I think Kylian Mbappe can surpass Cristiano Ronaldo? Of course he can," said Tchouameni. "He's incredible. It’s a pleasure playing with him."

Arbeloa also explained his decision to start academy graduate David Jimenez at right-back against Valencia, leaving Dani Carvajal and Trent Alexander-Arnold on the bench as both players continue their recovery from injury.

Alexander-Arnold made a cautious return in the 76th minute, marking his first La Liga appearance of 2026, while Carvajal remained unused.

"The fact that academy players can step into a game like this and contribute is great news," Arbeloa said. "With Trent, we’re being very careful. After a long layoff, we want him to regain rhythm gradually."

Carvajal continues to show progress in training, Arbeloa explained: "We won’t take any risks. He's been working hard even on days off, and everyone knows how important he is in the dressing room."

Arbeloa: Playing at Valencia like going to the dentist

Despite Madrid struggling to create clear chances before Carreras' cracking opener, Arbeloa defended the performance, acknowledging the difficulty of the fixture.

"Coming to Mestalla is like going to the dentist," he continued. "We knew exactly what kind of game it would be.

"We are happy, but we must continue improving. It is always difficult here, because of the atmosphere and the desire they always put into it against Real Madrid.

"But we knew how to solve it, we controlled well. [Thibaut] Courtois didn’t make any saves. The work was very solid and committed on the part of the players. It was a serious, committed performance from the players."

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