At the Miejski stadium in Wrocław, Poland, Kylian Mbappe once again made the football world talk about him by scoring the decisive goal in France’s 2-0 victory over Ukraine.
His spectacular solo run in the 82nd minute not only secured three vital points but also helped Mbappe match Thierry Henry’s legendary record of 51 goals for Les Bleus, at the age of 26 and in just 91 matches – 33 games faster than Henry.
Exploding from club to national team level
In the 82nd minute, receiving a long pass over 70 meters from his Real Madrid teammate Aurelien Tchouameni, Mbappe accelerated like a storm, skillfully spinning past PSG defender Illia Zabarnyi before unleashing a precise shot into the far corner. This goal not only sealed the 2-0 victory but also marked a historic milestone: Mbappe equaled Thierry Henry’s 51 goals for France, becoming the second highest scorer behind Olivier Giroud (57 goals). Henry needed 123 matches to reach this tally, while Mbappe did it in just 91 – an incredible scoring rate of 0.56 goals per game compared to Henry’s 0.41.
Speaking on TF1, Mbappe expressed pride: "It is an honor to be on par with Titi (Henry). He is a French icon, especially among forwards. He paved the way, and I have great respect for him." But the 26-year-old star is not stopping there. With a burning ambition, he declared: "Now I want to surpass him. Giroud’s record is close, but I focus more on winning and titles." Just six goals away from overtaking Giroud – who retired from the national team in July 2024 – Mbappe, with 4 goals in 4 matches this season (3 for Real Madrid, 1 for France), is fully capable of breaking the record this year.
Mbappe began the 2025 season in explosive form after recovering from gastritis in the summer, which had hospitalized him during the Club World Cup. In just three matches for Real Madrid, he scored 3 goals and had 2 strikes disallowed by VAR against Mallorca. Coach Xabi Alonso praised: "Kylian is eager to achieve more after a fantastic year. He inspires his teammates." In Wrocław, Mbappe continued to display "killer mode" – a phrase used by the Spanish press to describe his decisive scoring style reminiscent of Cristiano Ronaldo at his peak.
The solo run against Ukraine was proof of his frightening speed, technique, and accuracy, described by the French team’s Twitter as: "Speed, dribbling, finishing – Mbappe has it all!" Former teammate Lucas Vazquez even compared him to Ronaldo Nazario, highlighting the similarity in explosive speed and sharp finishing.
Mbappe has equaled the French national team scoring record held by legend Henry
A whole peak lies ahead
Appointed captain of Les Bleus since March 2023, Mbappe is not only a star on the pitch but also the soul of the team. At 19, he played a major role in winning the 2018 World Cup, and in 2022, he scored a hat-trick in the World Cup final, although France lost to Argentina in a penalty shootout. With 51 goals, Mbappe is France’s second-highest scorer in World Cups, just one behind Just Fontaine. The match against Ukraine showed his leadership: he dropped deeper to receive the ball, participated in building play, and made a difference with daring dribbles in dangerous areas. He led 4 attacking runs with the ball, received the most passes, helping France maintain vertical attacking play. Despite Ukraine’s chances – like Zabarnyi’s shot hitting the post or Ibrahima Konate’s goal-line clearance – Mbappe, along with Michael Olise (who opened the scoring in the 10th minute) and Tchouameni, helped France control the match with 16 shots and five big chances.
Tchouameni, who assisted Mbappe, also shone with 64 out of 67 successful passes (8 of 9 long passes), 5 forward passes, and 4 ball recoveries. The trio Mbappe – Olise – Tchouameni formed a formidable attacking axis, helping France dominate the first half, although the second half slowed as Ukraine increased their tempo. Despite his brilliance, Mbappe remained humble: "We should have scored more. I missed a few chances; there’s still room for improvement."
At 26, Mbappe is not only the present but also the future of French football. With his outstanding scoring rate, he could surpass Giroud’s record this year. Moreover, Mbappe is on the path to becoming Les Bleus’ all-time top scorer, a feat that will be hard to match for a long time.
Vu Manh
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