Erasing Messi's ghost: The Eerie Roma coincidence that just crowned Kylian Mbappé

14.10.26 FT Champions League

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Real Madrid forward Kylian Mbappé made history on Wednesday evening by becoming the youngest player to reach 100 UEFA Champions League appearances, surpassing a milestone previously held by Lionel Messi.

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A record-breaking night in Rome

Operating as the central striker in manager José Mourinho's starting lineup, the 27 year old marked his historic milestone with a vital contribution at the Stadio Olimpico.

Mbappé scored the opening goal to help Real Madrid secure a thrilling 4-3 victory over Roma in the second matchday of the competition.

The strike in the Italian capital elevated the French international's all time UEFA Champions League tally to 72 goals, further cementing his status among the tournament's elite marksmen.

Surpassing Lionel Messi's Milestone

By reaching his century of appearances at the age of 27, the Kylian Mbappé shattered the previous longevity record held by Lionel Messi.

Coincidentally, the Argentine icon also achieved his 100th appearance against Roma while playing for Barcelona in September 2015, doing so at 28 years old.

Mbappé’s journey to 100 game began a decade ago. He made his competition debut for Monaco as a 17 year old in September 2016, quickly establishing himself as one of the most lethal attackers in European football before his high profile spells at Paris Saint Germain and Real Madrid.

On track for all-time greatness

The landmark appearance against Roma builds upon Mbappé's extraordinary recent form. He finished as the Champions League top scorer last season with 15 goals, a dominant campaign highlighted by the second fastest hat-trick in the tournament's history, a devastating three goal burst against Olympiacos in just six minutes and 42 seconds.

With a century of matches already completed at 27, Mbappé possesses both the time and the consistent scoring rate to eventually challenge the all-time Champions League appearance and goalscoring records.

Under Mourinho's tactical setup, he remains the focal point of Real Madrid's attack as the Spanish club pushes for further continental glory this season.

Khaled Hegazy |

Editorar, en

Journaliste sportif spécialisé dans la couverture du football et la création de contenu numérique, alliant expérience éditoriale et expertise des médias sociaux.

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