Kylian Mbappe has put a shaky start to life at Real Madrid behind him with a huge individual accolade following his blistering start to 2025.
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Mbappe handed January accoladeScored first Real Madrid hat-trickForm has come a long wayFollow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱WHAT HAPPENED?
Mbappe has won La Liga's Player of the Month award for the first time thanks to his incredible January form. In three league appearances during the month, Mbappe scored five goals as Real enjoyed a 100% record – that included his first hat-trick in Spanish football, against Real Valladolid last weekend.
Advertisement(C)Getty ImagesTHE BIGGER PICTURE
The last few weeks have marked a watershed for Mbappe with Real Madrid. Although he enjoyed a prolific September in isolation, the Frenchman was heavily criticised for his performances in the early months of the season, perhaps the result of a whilrwind summer in which he had minimal time to rest after Euro 2024, combined with having to adapt to a living and paying in a brand new country. By his own admission, missing a penalty in the defeat to Athletic Club in early December was a "rock bottom" moment and things have been on an upward trajectory ever since.
DID YOU KNOW?
Mbappe is the second Real Madrid star in a row to be named La Liga's Player of the Month after Jude Bellingham previously won the award for December.
GettyWHAT NEXT?
Mbappe has now scored 21 goals in his first 32 Real Madrid appearances across all competitions. This season will be a very long one thanks to involvement in the reformatted and expanded FIFA Club World Cup in summer, giving the player a very real chance of hitting 40 goals if he maintains his current rate. Karim Benzema (44) in 2021-22 was the last Real player to get to 40 in a season, while Cristiano Ronaldo maxed out at 33 in his debut campaign witht he club in 2009-10.
