Kylian Mbappé is within touching distance of a milestone that will etch his name even deeper into the history of French football. With 47 international goals already to his name, the 26-year-old is now just five shy of Olivier Giroud’s all-time record of 52 — a mark many once thought might stand for decades.
Giroud’s achievement was built on persistence and longevity. Over more than a decade with Les Bleus, the striker scored consistently, often quietly, and eventually surpassed Thierry Henry’s total to become France’s most prolific marksman. But Mbappé, with his extraordinary pace, composure, and ability to deliver in the biggest moments, is set to reach that same summit in record time.
His rise has been nothing short of meteoric. Since making his senior debut in 2017, Mbappé has transformed from a precocious teenager into the heartbeat of the national team. The 2018 World Cup in Russia announced him to the world as he joined Pelé in scoring in a World Cup final as a teenager. Four years later, his unforgettable hat trick in the Qatar final, though in defeat, underlined his ability to rise on football’s grandest stage.
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To already sit on 47 goals at just 26 speaks volumes. For perspective, Giroud did not cross the 30-goal mark until his thirties, while Thierry Henry ended his decorated France career with 51. Mbappé is not just on course to overtake them; he is poised to leave a gap so wide that future generations may struggle to close it.
Yet, what makes Mbappé’s looming record even more remarkable is that his best years still lie ahead. Strikers often peak between 27 and 30, and Mbappé’s fitness, discipline, and relentless drive suggest his ceiling is far from reached. If he maintains his current scoring pace, France could be looking at a century-mark striker — something unthinkable in international football.
The record will come, perhaps sooner than expected, and when it does, it won’t merely represent another statistic. It will symbolize the passing of an era. From Platini to Henry to Giroud, France has always had its talismans. Now, the mantle fully passes to Mbappé — not just the future of French football, but its present, and soon, its greatest ever goalscorer.
