Mbappe certain France goal record will come
Kylian Mbappe is five goals away from Olivier Giroud's all-time goalscoring record for France, and he is expecting to overhaul it sooner rather than later.
The Real Madrid forward has no doubt that he will overhaul Giroud's mark, perhaps as early as Saturday's (AEDT) game against Azerbaijan, but he is more focused on helping his team qualify for the FIFA World Cup.
France is top of Group D with maximum points after qualification victories against Ukraine (2-0) and Iceland (2-1) during the previous international break.
Didier Deschamps's team was far from free-flowing in either match, but Mbappe was on target in both to move to 52 international goals.
He is five shy of Giroud's record of 57, having played 48 games fewer for France than his former striker partner did.
While Mbappe is not ruling out a five-goal haul to draw level with Giroud at Parc des Princes, he is relaxed about becoming his country's leading marksman.
"I don't break a taboo if I say that I can score goals against anyone," Mbappe said.
"But they are a team that held Ukraine in check, where we didn't have it easily. The stakes are more important than me scoring goals.
"I think I'm going to beat him, but when, I don't know. Maybe tomorrow?
"Maybe it will take longer. It's something that will come naturally. It's going to happen and I'll be happy when it happens, and I'll move on afterwards."
Mbappe's participation against Azerbaijan, and in next Tuesday's (AEDT) return fixture against Iceland, was in doubt after he limped out of Real Madrid's 3-1 win over Villarreal last week.
He sustained a minor ankle injury in that match, but said Madrid was understanding when he expressed his desire to play in France's upcoming games.
"We talked with the club about it, and that [worry] has always existed because it is the clubs that pay for the players," Mbappe said.
"Everything went well in Madrid, that was very clear. I have something in my ankle, but I said I wanted to play and there was no argument."
