Kylian Mbappe moves past Thierry Henry to become France's outright second all-time top-scorer with goal against Iceland as Real Madrid star closes in on Premier League legend in No.1 spot

The milestone arrived in Tuesday night’s World Cup qualifier at the Parc des Princes, the same arena where Mbappe rose from Paris prodigy to global superstar. His composed penalty just before half-time pulled Les Bleus level after a shaky start against Iceland, before he later provided the assist for Bradley Barcola’s decisive strike in the 62nd minute.

Mbappe’s record speaks volumes. His 52 goals have come in just 87 appearances. By comparison, Henry needed 123 games to reach the same figure. Now, only Giroud’s tally of 57 goals from 131 caps remains ahead of him. With form on his side, five goals in his opening five matches of the season, few doubt it’s a matter of “when” rather than “if” Mbappe becomes France’s all-time leading marksman.

France have always boasted elite forwards, from Michel Platini to Antoine Griezmann and Henry himself. The current leaderboard shows just how rarefied Mbappe’s company is:

1. Olivier Giroud – 57 goals (131 matches)

2. Kylian Mbappé – 52 goals (87 matches)

3. Thierry Henry – 51 goals (123 matches)

4. Antoine Griezmann – 44 goals (127 matches)

5. Michel Platini – 41 goals (72 matches)

What sets Mbappe apart is the speed of his climb. At only 26, he has years ahead to extend his dominance.

For France, the focus now shifts to October’s fixtures: a home clash with Azerbaijan before another meeting with Iceland, this time in Reykjavik. With qualification already looking strong, the spotlight will inevitably remain on whether Mbappe can surpass Giroud before the year ends.