Kylian Mbappé Shines in Champions League Opener for Real Madrid

Kylian Mbappé has started the 2026-27 season like a man in a hurry.

Five games. Five goals. On Tuesday night, Real Madrid’s new talisman needed just 14 minutes of their Champions League opener against Inter Milan to leave his mark on Europe again.

A loose touch from Curtis Jones opened the door. Brahim Díaz pounced and slipped Mbappé through. One touch, first-time finish, low and ruthless past Josep Martínez. Inter’s goalkeeper barely had time to set himself before the ball was already beyond him.

That strike carried more than just the weight of an early lead. It was Mbappé’s 71st goal in the Champions League, pulling him level with Real Madrid icon Raúl in fifth place on the competition’s all-time scoring list. Different eras, different styles, same ruthless streak in Europe.

He is only 27. The numbers are starting to look ominous.

Cristiano Ronaldo still stands alone at the top of the mountain with 140 Champions League goals, amassed across spells at Manchester United, Real Madrid and Juventus. Mbappé has ground to make up, a long road still to run, but the pace he is setting at this stage of his career keeps that record very much in the conversation.

The goal settled Madrid. It also rattled Inter.

Nine minutes after Mbappé’s opener, the European champions struck again. This time it was about persistence and opportunism rather than elegance. Martínez hesitated, misjudging his control, and Federico Valverde refused to let him off the hook, sliding in to poke the ball away and into the net.

2-0. Inter stunned. Madrid cruising.

The 15-time European champions did not have it all their own way, though. Inter fought back late, finally finding a way through to halve the deficit and inject tension into the closing stages. Madrid, so often unflappable in this competition, had to dig in and see it out.

They did. A 2-1 win, three points, and another Champions League campaign up and running.

On a night that began with talk of records and reputations, Mbappé walked off with both the result and another piece of history. If this is how he opens the group stage, what kind of numbers will he be chasing by the time this season’s tournament reaches its sharp end?