REAL MADRID
How long did it take Real Madrid galácticos to score first LaLiga goal? Ronaldo, Zidane, Beckham…
Kylian Mbappé has failed to score in his first three league appearances for Carlo Ancelotti’s team ahead of Sunday’s game against Real Betis.
The pressure is already on new Real Madrid star Kylian Mbappé as he heads into Sunday’s home game against Real Betis. After scoring on his debut for Los Blancos in the UEFA Super Cup against Atalanta, the France captain has failed to find the net - or provide an assist - in three LaLiga games, which has contributed to Carlo Ancelotti’s team dropping four points.
Bellingham’s superb Madrid start
Mbappé has, admittedly, had a tough act to follow as a big summer signing, with Jude Bellingham making a blistering start to his Madrid career after joining from Borussia Dortmund 12 months ago. The Englishman scored on his LaLiga debut away to Athletic Club and five times in his first four appearances in the Spanish top division.
And Bellingham isn’t the only huge star - ‘galáctico,’ if you will - to hit the ground running in the famous white jersey.
Cristiano, Ronaldo, Figo and Beckham score debut goals
Giving he scored a quite astonishing 311 goals in 292 LaLiga games, it probably won’t come as a surprise to read Cristiano Ronaldo also scored in his first league game at home to Deportivo La Coruña in August 2009, before matching Bellingham’s record of five goals in his first four appearances.
Luis Figo (vs Valencia, September 2000), Brazilian striker Ronaldo (vs Alavés, October 2002), David Beckham (vs Real Betis, August 2003) and Gareth Bale (vs Villarreal, September 2013) also endeared themselves to the Real Madrid support with immediate effect by scoring on their respective LaLiga debuts.
Mbappé's fellow Frenchmen, Zinedine Zidane and Karim Benzema, two Real Madrid legends, were also already off the mark. ‘Zizou’ opened his account for the club in his third league appearance against Real Betis in September 2001, which the current Al-Ittihad striker also did at home to Xerez in September 2009.
Mbappé targeting James, Kaká, Hazard
The former Paris Saint-Germain striker is therefore looking to equal the records of three big-name signings who didn’t quite live up to expectations, which he will hope isn’t an omen.
James Rodríguez was the best of them but had to endure several lengthy spells out of the starting lineup before moving on. The Colombian found the net in his fourth LaLiga game away to Deportivo in September 2014.
Kaká, whose time in Madrid was blighted by injuries, also netted on his fourth league appearance (at Villarreal in September 2009), as did Eden Hazard at home to Granada in October 2019.