Kylian Mbappe paid homage to his idol, Cristiano Ronaldo, by imitating his signature "Siu" celebration after equalling a Real Madrid record. The French superstar matched Ronaldo's club record for goals scored in a calendar year during Real Madrid's 2-0 victory over Sevilla in La Liga on Saturday.

Mbappe achieved the milestone by converting a late penalty, securing his 59th goal of the year, mirroring Ronaldo's tally from 2013. Jude Bellingham had earlier propelled Real Madrid into the lead with a header in the first half.

Speaking to Real Madrid TV, Mbappe revealed the significance of the moment, especially as it coincided with his birthday. "It's a special day because it's my birthday. I always said it would be a dream to play in a game on my birthday and at Real Madrid, the club of my dreams," he expressed.

Following the successful penalty, Mbappe marked the occasion by replicating Ronaldo's iconic jumping "Siu" celebration. He later explained that the celebration was a tribute to Ronaldo, stating, "It's an honour for me, I wanted to give him a wink because he's always been kind to me. He always spoke to me well about Madrid, how to adapt to Madrid and everything,". Mbappe added, "Now I am happy to be scoring goals for Real Madrid and to win the games... (the celebration) was for him".

Mbappe has often spoken of his admiration for Cristiano Ronaldo, even emulating the Portuguese star's "I'm here" gesture in the past. "Normally I have my own but I wanted to share that with him today. He was my idol as a kid, I have a very good relationship with him, he's a friend now," Mbappe said.

The match against Sevilla saw other opportunities for Real Madrid, with Mbappe himself coming close to scoring on several occasions. He headed against the crossbar and had a shot narrowly miss the target, while Sevilla's goalkeeper denied another of his attempts. The game also had its share of drama, including a red card for Sevilla's Marcao and disallowed penalties for Real Madrid after VAR reviews. Despite Mbappe's efforts, he narrowly missed surpassing Ronaldo's record in 2025 and will have to wait until 2026 to try again.

Mbappe's arrival at Real Madrid has been marked by impressive performances, and he has already broken records, including surpassing Ronaldo Nazario's debut season goal record for the club. He celebrated one such occasion earlier in the year by recreating Cristiano Ronaldo's "I'm here" celebration. Mbappe has acknowledged the influence of both Ronaldo and Zinedine Zidane on his career, recognizing them as "legends who have defined an era".