FIFA WC Qualifiers: Mbappe equals this record of Henry against Ukraine

Kylian Mbappe has tied Thierry Henry's record as France's second all-time top goal-scorer, netting his 51st goal in a 2-0 victory over Ukraine during World Cup qualifiers.

Image by @VibesFoot on X

Kylian Mbappe has reached a new milestone in his international career by equalling Thierry Henry’s record as France's second all-time top goal-scorer. The Real Madrid striker scored a crucial goal in France’s 2-0 victory over Ukraine in a 2026 World Cup qualifying match held on Friday in Poland. With this strike, Mbappe now has 51 goals for Les Bleus, matching the legendary Arsenal icon Thierry Henry’s tally.

What happened in the match?

The match saw Bayern Munich’s Michael Olise open the scoring for France before Mbappe added the second goal in the 82nd minute to seal a comfortable win.

This victory not only secured vital points in the World Cup qualification campaign but also allowed Mbappe to make history by joining Henry as the joint second-highest scorer for the French national team.

The only player ahead of them is Olivier Giroud, who tops the charts with 57 goals for France.

Read Also: 8 players who won the most matches in FIFA World Cup history.

“It’s an honour:” Mbappe

After the game, Mbappe spoke about the significance of equalling Henry’s record. He told French broadcaster TF1, "It’s an honour to go level with a player like Thierry Henry. Everyone knows what he represents for us, Frenchmen, particularly strikers. He opened up a path. He completed gigantic feats. I have a lot of admiration and respect for him.”

When asked about the possibility of surpassing Olivier Giroud’s record and becoming France’s all-time highest goal-scorer, Mbappe said, "It’s not something I think about. I don’t know if it’s because I think I can beat it or because I think there are more important things, but to be France’s all-time record goalscorer, that’d be something."

Read Also: FIFA World Cup 2026: When and where is the World Cup draw?

What is next for Mbappe and France?

At just 26 years old, Mbappe is well-positioned to set new records for France in the years to come. Besides being the joint second-highest goal-scorer for his country, he is also Les Bleus’ second-highest goal-scorer in World Cup history and is just one goal behind Just Fontaine’s legendary World Cup record.

With the World Cup qualification campaign well underway, Mbappe and France will next face Iceland on September 10 (IST).

Share