France captain Kylian Mbappé has moved into second place on the nation’s all-time international scoring list, drawing level with football icon Thierry Henry after finding the net in a 2-0 World Cup qualifying victory over Ukraine on Friday.
Mbappé’s 82nd-minute strike, a product of a swift counterattack orchestrated by his Real Madrid teammate Aurelien Tchouameni, took his tally to 51 goals for Les Bleus. He now stands shoulder-to-shoulder with Henry, trailing only Olivier Giroud’s all-time record of 57 goals.
Following the match, the 26-year-old expressed immense respect for the man whose record he equalled. “Big up to Titi (Henry)! But now I want to surpass him! It’s an honour to equal a player like Henry,” Mbappé told TF1. “Everyone knows what he means to us French people, even more so to strikers. He’s someone who paved the way, and I have a lot of respect and admiration for him.”
While the record is now within his grasp, Mbappé insists his focus remains on team success. “The record is getting closer, but it’s not something I think about,” he said. “I don’t know if it’s because I think I can beat it, or because I think there are more important things. But it’s true that being the top scorer in the history of the French national team is no small feat.”
The victory over Ukraine, which also saw Michael Olise score an early goal, marks a strong start to France’s World Cup qualifying campaign at the Wroclaw Stadium in Poland. With Giroud having concluded his international career after the 2024 European Championship, Mbappé is now the heir apparent to the top spot.
Since making his senior debut in 2017, Mbappé has already enjoyed a decorated career with France, winning the 2018 World Cup and the 2020-21 Nations League. His next opportunity to extend his remarkable record comes when France hosts Iceland at the Parc des Princes on Tuesday.
