Kylian Mbappe completes second trophyless season: How many have Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo suffered in their careers?
Kylian Mbappe has finished his second consecutive season without a major trophy, raising questions about whether this difficult spell is a temporary setback or the beginning of a larger challenge. The Real Madrid and France superstar has now experienced two senior trophyless seasons, a rare feat for a player of his caliber.
Mbappe's current drought inevitably invites comparisons with two players who have defined modern soccer for nearly two decades: Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo. Both Messi and Ronaldo have endured periods of disappointment in their careers, with Messi completing three trophyless seasons during his senior career: 2006-07, 2007-08, and 2019-20. Messi's longest barren spell lasted two consecutive campaigns before everything changed under Pep Guardiola. The Argentine later spearheaded Barcelona's historic 2008-09 sextuple, winning La Liga, the Copa del Rey, the UEFA Champions League, the Spanish Super Cup, the UEFA Super Cup, and the FIFA Club World Cup.
Cristiano Ronaldo also discovered that sustained success is never guaranteed, regardless of individual excellence. The Portuguese legend experienced multiple trophyless campaigns, beginning with his early Manchester United years and later enduring difficult seasons during his return to Old Trafford and the start of his Saudi Arabian adventure. Ronaldo's setbacks were followed by remarkable rebounds, including three consecutive Premier League titles, the 2007-08 UEFA Champions League, and his first Ballon d'Or. However, he has also endured four senior trophyless seasons, with two of those campaigns occurring during his time at Manchester United, one at Real Madrid, and one at Al-Nassr.
Despite Madrid's collective struggles, Mbappe has remained among soccer's most productive attackers. He finished the latest campaign with 42 goals across all competitions, while continuing to rank among Europe's leading scorers. His consistency mirrors situations Messi and Ronaldo also experienced during their careers. Messi famously scored 51 goals during the 2018-19 season, while Ronaldo struck 55 goals in 2012-13 and 61 goals in 2014-15, yet both campaigns ended with disappointment because their clubs failed to secure the biggest prizes available.
Mbappe's individual brilliance has never been in doubt, but soccer's biggest prizes have once again slipped away from one of the game's brightest stars. As he enters his third season at Real Madrid, Mbappe will be eager to put an end to his trophyless streak and restore his reputation as one of the world's top players. The question on everyone's mind is whether he will be able to overcome his current challenge and return to the winning ways that have defined his career so far.
Source: World Succer Talk