World Cup 2026: Kylian Mbappe becomes France’s all-time top scorer

Kylian Mbappe etched his name deeper into French football history on Tuesday after equalling Olivier Giroud’s all-time goalscoring record for France during Les Bleus’ FIFA 2026 World Cup opener against Senegal.

The Real Madrid superstar scored the opening goal in the 66th minute at MetLife Stadium in New York, giving France a 1-0 lead and taking his international tally to 57 goals.

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The strike saw Mbappe draw level with former France teammate Giroud as the country’s joint-highest goalscorer.

Mbappe reaches milestone in fewer games

While Giroud needed 137 appearances between 2011 and 2024 to score his 57 goals, Mbappe has reached the same landmark in just 99 international matches.

The achievement underlines the remarkable efficiency of the France captain, who first announced himself on the global stage at the 2018 World Cup, where he became France’s youngest-ever World Cup goalscorer.

Eight years later, Mbappe has once again used football’s biggest stage to add another chapter to his growing legacy.

Another World Cup record for France star

Mbappe’s goal against Senegal also saw him continue his rapid climb up the World Cup’s all-time scoring charts.

The 27-year-old moved ahead of Brazilian legend Pele in the tournament’s goalscoring rankings and drew level with Argentine icon Lionel Messi.

Already one of the most prolific players of his generation, Mbappe now stands alone as one of the leading goalscorers in World Cup history while sharing France’s all-time scoring record with Giroud.

With the tournament still in its early stages, the French captain now has the opportunity to become France’s outright leading scorer and further cement his status among football’s all-time greats.