A record with its days numbered

With 57 goals, Olivier Giroud remains France’s all-time leading scorer, but he knows his mark won’t last much longer.

At just 26 years old, Kylian Mbappé has already scored 52 goals and is on the verge of surpassing his compatriot, who retired from international duty after Euro 2024.

Speaking to RMC Sport, Giroud addressed the topic with calm and a smile:

“Of course he’ll surpass me. He still has at least five, seven, or even more years ahead with the national team.”

The Lille striker added that Mbappé’s rise was no surprise to him:

“It was obvious from his early days at Monaco that we were watching a phenomenon. He has the hunger and ambition that define great goal scorers.”

Respect between generations

At 39, Giroud showed his trademark class when talking about France’s new captain: “I hope he gets to 100 goals. If he does, that would be incredible.”

The former AC Milan and Chelsea forward insisted there’s no jealousy — only pride — in seeing Mbappé carry on France’s scoring legacy. The two shared the same locker room for years, forming one of Europe’s most dangerous attacking duos — combining Giroud’s strength with Mbappé’s explosiveness.

Before France’s match against Azerbaijan, Mbappé jokingly said he could “break the record tonight,” recalling past high-scoring clashes. Giroud, however, took it with humor: “If he does, I’ll be the first to applaud him.”

Giroud, still ready for Les Bleus

Although he retired from the national team after Euro 2024, Giroud hasn’t completely ruled out a comeback: “I’d only return if there was an injury crisis and Didier Deschamps really needed me.”

For now, he’s content watching France shine under Mbappé’s leadership — a new era of talent and ambition.
The record will inevitably fall, but Giroud’s legacy remains untouched: the scorer who paved the way for the next legend.