Kylian Mbappé has matched Thierry Henry’s tally to become France’s joint second-highest goalscorer after netting in Les Bleus’ 2-0 victory over Ukraine in their 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifier on Friday.
The 26-year-old struck in the 82nd minute, lifting his international total to 51 goals—level with Arsenal legend Henry. Mbappé now sits just behind Olivier Giroud, who leads France’s all-time scoring chart with 57 goals.
France dominated proceedings in Paris, tightening their grip at the top of Group C. Michael Olise opened the scoring in the 10th minute, while Ukraine struggled to mount any significant threat.
Since making his international debut in 2017, Mbappé has evolved into the face of French football. He first burst onto the world stage at the 2018 World Cup in Russia, scoring four times—including once in the final—as France clinched their second world title. At Qatar 2022, he further cemented his status as one of football’s biggest stars, finishing as the tournament’s top scorer with eight goals, including a dramatic hat-trick in the final against Argentina.
With Henry’s record now equalled, Mbappé has the chance to claim second place outright when Didier Deschamps’ men face Georgia in their next qualifier on Tuesday.
