How good is Kylian Mbappe? Why Real Madrid signed France and former PSG superstar and his stats compared to Messi, Ronaldo

Kylian Mbappe officially signed for Real Madrid on June 3, 2024 after leaving Paris Saint-Germain on a free transfer.

In May, the 25-year-old France international confirmed his decision to leave PSG, just days after they were knocked out of the Champions League semifinals by Borussia Dortmund.

He scored 256 goals in Paris and, after seven years in his home city, he won every trophy available to him except for Europe's top prize. 

Real Madrid lifted their 15th Champions League trophy at Wembley in early June and the president of the club, Florentino Perez, said: "I think that we are already focused on the next one. We want the 16th."

This free transfer is one of the most anticipated in football history and after years of chasing the PSG forward, Madrid have got their man.

The Sporting News takes a look at just how good Mbappe is and how he compares to Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi at the same age.

MORE: Vinicius out? Where Mbappe fits in Madrid's frontline

How good is Kylian Mbappe?

Mbappe is one of the best attackers in world football and has long been considered the heir to Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo as the best male player on the planet.

He burst onto the grandest stage as he took the Champions League by storm as a 17-year-old for Monaco.

The Ligue 1 side's thrilling encounter against Pep Guardiola's Manchester City saw them overturn a 5-3 defeat after an electrifying first leg in England, where Mbappe scored on his first European start.

Mbappe and Monaco then took the game to City in the second leg as they won 3-1 at home, advancing on away goals after a 6-6 aggregate draw.

After overcoming Dortmund, Monaco then reached the semifinals of the competition for the first time since 2004. But this was the furthest they would go as they lost 2-0 at home to Juventus in the first leg and were unable to overturn the deficit in Turin, losing 2-1 despite another goal from Mbappe.

He then made his move to PSG at age 18, where he signed on an eventual permanent transfer worth €180 million. This deal made him the second-most-expensive player, behind Neymar's €222m transfer to PSG from Barcelona, and the most expensive teenage player of all time.

At PSG, he broke all sorts of goal scoring records and won every domestic trophy as well as lifting a World Cup for his nation in 2018 in Russia. He led them to the final again four years later, scoring a hat-trick against Messi's Argentina before losing on penalties.

His game involves pace, exceptional dribbling ability and a fierce strike from his right foot. But he can also be clinical on his weaker side and beat his man on the inside or out. 

Sounds like the perfect player, right? Maybe that's why Madrid have signed him. But what's missing from his game?

Before his death, Brazilian legend and arguably the greatest player of all time, Pele, gave high praise to France Football but also explained where Mbappe could improve.

What is missing? Not much. Maybe his heading game, the impulse and the jump. That's what makes us different again because I had a lot of momentum. I was going very high and I scored a lot of headed goals. - Pele on Kylian Mbappe.

Mbappe stats vs. Ronaldo and Messi at age 25

Stats relevant on their 25th birthday

Mbappe trophies vs. Ronaldo and Messi at age 25

Numbers relevant on their 25th birthday