Mbappé's Four-Goal Frenzy: Is Real Madrid Now A One-Man Engine?

Mbappé's four-goal masterclass and the questions it raises for Real Madrid

A video circulating in recent days shows Kylian Mbappé reacting with visible frustration to a journalist's question about whether Real Madrid relies on him alone to score, following his quartet in a 4-3 win over Olympiakos in the Champions League.

According to Mundo Deportivo, Real Madrid has tallied 40 goals across all competitions, with 22 of them credited to the French superstar alone. Yet numbers tell only part of the story; the bigger picture lies in the players who create those chances and the cohesion built over a year and a half at Valdebebas that has helped Mbappé reach 66 goals in 77 games for the club.

Three teammates stand out as Mbappé's most frequent providers: Vinícius Júnior (10 assists), Arda Güler (9), and Jude Bellingham (6). Vinícius delivered two decisive passes in the latest clash with Olympiakos, while Güler also left his mark with an assist on the opening goal against the Greek side.

As the season has progressed, the Turkish youngster has emerged as Mbappé's best on-field partner. This season alone, Güler has supplied six assists for the Frenchman, and every match seems to sharpen their understanding in the spaces that decide close contests.

Madrid's daily work at Valdebebas has played a key role in fostering this harmony; training sessions have developed a special shorthand between them that translates into stronger performances on matchday.

Yet the reality remains that goals still steal the spotlight. Madrid publicly avoids talking about a sole reliance on Mbappé, but the on-field truth is that the Frenchman’s presence has become a pivotal factor in the team's ability to win and stay competitive.

The journalist incident

In the mixed zone, Mbappé showed some irritation when asked about relying too heavily on his goal output, replying: "Don’t say that. You should say Mbappé was responsible for our win today. I think that’s an unfair question, and I respect you."

He continued to stress the group aspect, explaining: "Every player has a role within the team. My job is to score, but I can say that without the other players we won’t win matches."

"Each squad has players with defined duties, but I don’t think there’s any reliance or anything like that. I see this as commentary from journalists or outsiders," he added.

Humility came through again as Mbappé acknowledged Real Madrid’s rare club distinction: being among only four players in Madrid’s history to score four goals in a single European Cup/Champions League match, while noting he still has much to prove before he can be compared to those who left a lasting mark. "These players left a big mark on Real Madrid's history, and it’s an honor to be in that company, but I must deliver more before people compare me to them," he said.

Mbappé’s quartet came in minutes 22, 24, 29, and 59.

Olympiakos’s scorers were Shikinyu, Mehdi Tarimi and Ayoub El Kaabi in minutes 8, 52 and 81 respectively.

With this victory, Real Madrid moved to 12 points, sitting fifth in the table, while Olympiakos remained on two points in what the piece described as a challenging position. Madrid had previously faced several Greek opponents in Athens, with seven official visits resulting in five draws and two defeats.

Not the first quadruple

This isn’t Mbappé’s first time scoring four goals in a single game across all competitions. He has achieved the feat before with Paris Saint-Germain and with France, including five goals in PSG’s 7-0 Coupe de France win over Pays de Cassel in January 2023.

He has also produced four-goal performances on two earlier occasions: with PSG in a 5-0 Ligue 1 win over Lyon in October 2018, and with France in an 8-0 European Championship qualifier win over Kazakhstan in November 2021.

Nonetheless, this four-goal haul was Mbappé’s first for Real Madrid and at the Champions League level.

Punchline 1: If Mbappé keeps turning up like this, Real Madrid won’t just win games—they’ll need a bigger trophy room, and maybe a bigger coffee budget too.

Punchline 2: If scoring were a crime, Mbappé would be serving a life sentence in Madrid’s net. And the defense would still ask for a remand hearing just to argue over the scoreboard.