Mbappé Sets New French Goalscoring Record
Kylian Mbappé has cemented his place in French football history by becoming the nation's all-time leading goalscorer. At the age of 27, the Real Madrid forward netted his 58th goal for Les Bleus during their World Cup opener against Senegal, surpassing Olivier Giroud's previous record.
Giroud, commenting on BBC One, extended his congratulations to Mbappé. "I'm happy for him," Giroud stated. "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."
Mbappé achieved his 58 goals in just 99 international appearances. His recent goals also brought his World Cup tally to 14, placing him only two goals behind Germany's Miroslav Klose, who holds the record with 16 World Cup goals.
Insights into Mbappé's Leadership and Talent
Giroud further praised Mbappé's character and ambition: "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 anticipates that Mbappé will ultimately be recognized as France's greatest player. While acknowledging Zinedine Zidane and Michel Platini as the current top two, Laurens believes Mbappé is already ahead of legends like Thierry Henry and Olivier Giroud. "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," Laurens noted. "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."
A Career Defined by Early Success and Ambition
Mbappé's international career began in March 2017, with his first goal coming in his fourth appearance during a 4-0 World Cup qualifier against the Netherlands. On the same day, Paris Saint-Germain secured an initial loan deal for the then-18-year-old from Monaco, with an option to buy for £165.7m, making him the most expensive teenager in football history upon the activation of the transfer.
His impact was immediate, leading France to World Cup glory in 2018. He became the youngest French player to score at a World Cup and only the second teenager, after Pelé, to score in a World Cup final. He was recognized as the tournament's best young player. By the 2022 World Cup in Qatar, Mbappé had become France's key player, scoring a hat-trick in the final, a feat only matched by England's Geoff Hurst, despite France's loss to Argentina on penalties.
The Genesis of 'Project Mbappé'
Mbappé's trajectory to the top was a deliberate path, often referred to as 'Project Mbappé' by his family. Born in Bondy, a suburb of Paris, in 1998, his childhood revolved around school and football. His father, Wilfried, was a coach at AS Bondy, where Kylian's exceptional talent was evident from a young age. "Kylian was already one step ahead of many other players at AS Bondy," said childhood friend Rayan Viyanga. "He was advanced for his age group and wanted to play with the best."
Julien Laurens highlighted his early dedication: "As a kid, he learned La Marseillaise at the age of three just to be ready to sing it when that first cap would come." Mbappé idolized Cristiano Ronaldo and studied Zinedine Zidane, while his adopted brother, Jires Kembo Ekoko, provided a closer influence by attending the national academy at Clairefontaine years before Mbappé himself.
Author and French football expert Matt Spiro noted Mbappé's initial struggles at Clairefontaine, where he was not immediately the best in his group. However, a growth spurt and increased focus saw him rapidly improve. His talent was recognized early, with Nike approaching him for free boots at just 10 years old. He joined Monaco at 14, making his debut at 16 years and 347 days, breaking Thierry Henry's record as the youngest player in the club's history. He later became Monaco's youngest scorer, surpassing another of Henry's records.
From Ambition to Leadership
An anecdote from his time at Monaco illustrates Mbappé's early ambition: when asked to design a magazine cover featuring himself, he chose Time Magazine with the headline 'El Maestro'. Four years later, after leading France to World Cup glory, his face genuinely appeared on the cover of Time. This grand vision contributed to the popularization of 'Project Mbappé' on social media, reflecting the meticulous planning by his family.
While his talent and hype brought an inevitable ego, former PSG performance director Martin Buccheit suggested that Mbappé has learned to manage it. "Ego is a necessary drive for success," Buccheit said, adding that Mbappé's family played a crucial role in guiding him. Named France captain by Didier Deschamps in 2023, Mbappé is still pursuing a Champions League title and a Ballon d'Or, suggesting that 'Project Mbappé' is far from complete. Laurens predicts that by the end of his career, Mbappé's trophy cabinet and goalscoring records will surpass those of Zidane and Platini.
Source: Project Mbappe - the road to becoming France's record scorer
