Actual Madrid will host the primary El Clásico of the 2025–26 season towards FC Barcelona on Matchday 10 of La Liga subsequent Sunday, a six-point conflict the place the winner might transfer to the highest of the desk. The highlight will even be on the generational duel between Kylian Mbappé and Lamine Yamal, with the French star seeking to overturn his poor file towards the Spanish wonderkid.
Mbappé has been one of many largest sensations in European soccer over the previous few years, successful the 2018 World Cup at simply 19 years previous. Now 26, he’s firmly established as among the best gamers on this planet. Yamal, in the meantime, seems to be in the beginning of an analogous path, ending as runner up within the 2025 Ballon d’Or with simply 18, and surprisingly, he holds a dominant file over the famend French striker.
Mbappé and Yamal have already confronted one another eight instances, with Yamal boasting a powerful seven wins, whereas the Frenchman has managed victory on only one event. Despite the fact that the 2025–26 marketing campaign marks solely Yamal’s second full season, he’s already constructed a exceptional file towards one of many sport’s largest names.
The primary time Mbappé and Yamal met was within the first leg of the 2023–24 UEFA Champions League quarterfinals, when Barcelona earned a 3–2 win on the Parc des Princes towards Paris Saint-Germain. Nonetheless, within the return leg on the Lluís Companys Olímpic Stadium, Mbappé starred with a brace in PSG’s 4–1 victory — his solely win to date towards Yamal, who was nonetheless discovering his rhythm at that stage of his profession.
Their subsequent conferences club-wise got here after Mbappé’s transfer to Actual Madrid, when Yamal’s dominant run continued. Throughout 4 El Clásico matchups in the course of the 2024–25 season, Barcelona got here out on high every time — twice in La Liga (0–4 and 4–3), as soon as within the Spanish Tremendous Cup remaining (5–2), and once more within the Copa del Rey remaining (3–2).
Kylian Mbappe of Actual Madrid passes the ball underneath stress from Lamine Yamal of FC Barcelona.
The remaining two Yamal victories got here on the worldwide stage between Spain and France. The primary was at UEFA Euro 2024, the place Yamal scored in Spain’s 2–1 semifinal win. The second got here within the UEFA Nations League semifinals, when Spain edged France 5–4 to succeed in one other remaining.
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Throughout all competitions, membership and worldwide, Yamal holds a six-win benefit over Mbappé. On Sunday, Mbappé could have the prospect to slender that hole towards the 18-year-old, who’s shortly turn into one of many hardest opponents of his profession.
Mbappé forward within the goalscoring battle
Regardless of Yamal’s successful file, their types and strengths differ considerably. Mbappé is extra of a fearless finisher, whereas Yamal thrives as a dribbler and playmaker. That distinction has allowed Mbappé to guide the scoring tally, however solely barely.
Of their eight conferences, Mbappé has scored eight targets in comparison with Yamal’s six. Assists have been almost similar, with each registering 4, giving Mbappé 12 objective contributions to Yamal’s 10.
