Kylian Mbappe Breaks Two France Goalscoring Records in Opening World Cup Win

Les Bleus started off with an entertaining victory against Senegal in the New Jersey sunshine.

Kylian Mbappé started the World Cup in record-breaking fashion. | Erick W. Rasco/Sports Illustrated

Kylian Mbappé became France’s all-time leading goalscorer during Tuesday’s opening World Cup win against Senegal, equaling and then surpassing Olivier Giroud’s record over the course of almost 100 minutes at MetLife Stadium.

Mbappé came into the World Cup with 56 goals for France since debuting for Les Bleus in 2017. Giving his team the lead in the 66th minute with a sweeping first-time finish from Michael Olise’s clever assist, Mbappé matched the benchmark that Giroud set with his 57th and final international goal in 2024.

His second of the match, making it 3–1 for France in stoppage time as Senegal threatened a late comeback, was struck from distance to then break the record.

That was goal No. 58 in a France shirt, unrivaled at the age of just 27 and with years ahead of him to keep extending it to a potentially unbreakable level.

Giroud was working on BBC Sports’s live broadcast in the U.K. and so was on hand to give immediate reaction to his record being broken. The former Arsenal, Chelsea and LAFC striker had taken the record himself from Thierry Henry and was, of course, happy for his former teammate.

“Congrats, Kylian!” Giroud declared.

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Mbappé Claims French World Cup Record

Mbappé netted twice despite a poor first half. | Erick W. Rasco/Sports Illustrated

France’s all-time record wasn’t the only to fall for Mbappé, because the Real Madrid superstar is now also the country’s leading goalscorer in World Cup play.

That record had stood for far, far longer, set in 1958 by Just Fontaine, who scored 13 times in his only trip to a World Cup. 68 years on, it remains a record for the most goals by a player in a single tournament. Mbappé now has 14 World Cup goals overall in just 15 total appearances.

No other French players even come close to Mbappé and Fontaine in that regard. Thierry Henry is next on the list with six World Cup goals for Les Bleus, followed by Zinedine Zidane, Michael Platini and Giroud, all on five each.

Mbappé scored four as France won the World Cup in 2018, aged 19 at the time, and then eight in 2022—including a historic hat-trick in the final against Argentina.

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All-Time World Cup Record in Mbappé’s Sight

The all-time World Cup record belongs to Miroslav Klose. | Ian MacNicol/Getty Images

With 14 World Cup goals, Mbappé is only two behind Miroslav Klose’s all-time World Cup record and that could easily be beaten at this tournament in the coming weeks.

France faces Iraq and Norway in the remainder of the group stage and could play seven more matches in total. Given Mbappé has returned almost a goal per game in his career at the World Cup and that France is among the favorites to lift the trophy again, Klose’s record might not just be broken, but rather completely obliterated.

Top All-Time World Cup Goalscorers

Player	Country	World Cup Goals
Miroslav Klose	Germany	16
Ronaldo	Brazil	15
Gerd Müller	Germany	14
Kylian Mbappé	France	14
Just Fontaine	France	13
Lionel Messi	Argentina	13
Pelé	Brazil	12

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