Is Mbappe the new monsieur of World Cup?

France's record scorer moves closer to history

FE Team | Published: June 17, 2026 23:00:00

France captain Kylian Mbappe became his country's all-time leading scorer with a double against Senegal at the World Cup on Tuesday, beating the mark of 57 goals held by Olivier Giroud.
Playing in France's opening match at New York New Jersey Stadium, Mbappe slipped the ball past the goalkeeper in the 66th minute and notched his 58th international strike with a screamer in second-half stoppage time.
Real Madrid star Mbappe took his career World Cup goals tally to 14 - just two behind all-time leader Miroslav Klose - and Bradley Barcola was also on target as Les Bleus secured all three points for Didier Deschamps' side on Tuesday, report agencies.
"Congrats, Kylian. You made it. I'm really happy for him," said Giroud, working as a pundit for the BBC.
Real Madrid striker Mbappe, 27, had been under extraordinary scrutiny heading into the World Cup but came alive in the second half as France beat Senegal 3-1 in Group I.
"Congratulations Kylian," Giroud said on BBC One, working as a pundit for France's game against Senegal. "I'm happy for him.
"It makes sense, it was expected. He will beat every single record - the number of caps and goals. I think he can easily reach 100 goals and maybe [beat] Miroslav Klose's World Cup record. He's delivered great performances in World Cups and big games."
Mbappe's 58 strikes came in just 99 games for France. Tuesday's goals also put him on 14 in World Cups - just two behind Germany's Klose, who holds the record with 16.
"A lot of team-mates ask me about him," Giroud added. "For me it's just ambition and confidence.
"He knows where he wants to go, he is a leader and you could see from a young age he was very at ease. He was mature for his age. He is a good team-mate, he is an incredible talent and I think he is a proper leader on and off the pitch."
French football expert Julien Laurens believes Mbappe will become the greatest player in the country's history.
"There is still a lot more to come from him but if we are to stop it right now, Zinedine Zidane and Michel Platini certainly remain the top two French players of all time," said Laurens.
"After that it is Mbappe ahead of Thierry Henry, Antoine Griezmann, Olivier Giroud and others. Even the ones from the old generation like Raymond Kopa.
"It is not just for his goals, but his leadership now as captain on the field, winning the World Cup in 2018, scoring a hat-trick in the final in 2022.
"I predict him to be the number one by the end of his career. He has at least one more World Cup after this and the Euros to play in so he will probably become the greatest player we have ever had."
Earlier, Mbappe darted across the penalty area to convert a brilliant Michael Olise pass on 66 minutes to break the deadlock in a contest in which France struggled badly in the first half, but came to life after the break.
Barcola of Paris Saint-Germain then came off the bench to get the second late on, before his club colleague Ibrahim Mbaye pulled one back in stoppage time for Senegal.
But Mbappe saved the best for last, as he blasted in from long range in the 96th minute to seal the win and become France's all-time top scorer with 58 goals.
The decision by coach Didier Deschamps to move Olise infield from the right wing was crucial in swinging the game the way of the two-time World Cup winners.
But it is Mbappe who grabbed the spotlight in what turned out to be a memorable 99th appearance for his country.
Mbappe renewed his extraordinary love affair with the World Cup, in which he scored in the 2018 final as France won, and netted a stunning hat-trick in their defeat on penalties to Argentina in the 2022 final in Qatar.
The 27-year-old Real Madrid striker's double took him past Pele's 12, and overtook the 13 of Lionel Messi and fellow Frenchman Just Fontaine.