Kylian Mbappé has rewritten the Champions League record books, becoming the youngest player to reach 100 appearances in the competition.
The Real Madrid forward hit the landmark at 27 years and 298 days on Wednesday, when Madrid visited Roma at the Stadio Olimpico on October 14, 2026. He marked the occasion with a first-half equaliser that made it 1-1, and Madrid went on to win a thrilling contest 4-3.
Mbappé snatched the record from Lionel Messi, who set the previous mark at 28 years and 84 days against Roma on September 16, 2015.
Raúl González, the first player to reach 100 Champions League games, completed the feat at 28 on February 21, 2006, when he came off the bench in Madrid’s 1-0 home defeat by Arsenal.
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That puts Mbappé ahead of two of the most celebrated names in European football, and the French captain has moved faster than either. He also becomes the fifth French player to reach a century in the competition.
The journey started early. He made his Champions League debut as a 17-year-old with Monaco in September 2016, and he has built his total steadily since.
Last season he topped the scoring chart with 15 goals, including a hat-trick against Olympiacos that took only six minutes and 42 seconds. It remains the second-fastest treble in the competition’s history.
His milestone arrives in a season full of centuries. UEFA says Mbappé is the second player to reach 100 appearances this campaign. His Madrid teammate Thibaut Courtois became the first Belgian to hit the mark on Matchday 1, and he now has company in the club of centurions.
The record underlines how Mbappé’s career has outpaced even the greatest of his predecessors. Messi, Raúl and Mbappé each marked their hundredth game in a Champions League fixture that carried its own drama, and Mbappé’s came with a goal and a win.
For Madrid, the night delivered more than a record. Roma pushed them hard, scoring three times at home, yet Madrid answered with four and left Rome with the points.
Mbappé’s equaliser set the tone, dragging his side level before the break and giving them the platform to win.
