Mbappé Eyes France Goal Record as Les Bleus Gear Up for Crucial Azerbaijan Clash
Kylian Mbappé aims to break France’s national scoring record as Les Bleus seek World Cup qualification with a key match against Azerbaijan at Parc des Princes.
- • France leads Group D with two wins and faces Azerbaijan in a decisive World Cup 2026 qualifier.
- • Kylian Mbappé, with 52 goals, aims to surpass Olivier Giroud’s record of 57 goals for France.
- • Michael Olise’s creative play is praised for enhancing Mbappé’s effectiveness on the field.
- • Florian Thauvin returns to the national team after four years, and Didier Deschamps calls the match crucial despite France’s current lead.
Key details
On October 10, 2025, the French national football team is set to face Azerbaijan at the Parc des Princes in a pivotal qualifier for the 2026 World Cup. This match offers France an opportunity to secure their qualification for the tournament, with a win combined with a draw between Iceland and Ukraine promising to seal their spot. France currently leads Group D with two wins out of two, having defeated Ukraine 2-0 and Iceland 2-1 in September, while Azerbaijan sits at 124th in FIFA rankings, marking them as a significantly weaker opponent.
The spotlight is firmly on Kylian Mbappé, who aims to increase his goal tally for France, currently standing at 52. He is closing in on Olivier Giroud's national team record of 57 goals. Despite recovering from ankle pain, Mbappé is eager to play and potentially surpass Giroud's benchmark during this match. His recent form at Real Madrid and for France has been outstanding, supported notably by creative teammates such as Michael Olise, who has been lauded by coach Didier Deschamps for his technical ability and contribution to freeing Mbappé’s play.
The game also marks the return of several key players, including defender William Saliba and Florian Thauvin, who is back in the national team after a four-year absence. Deschamps maintains a cautious outlook, describing the Azerbaijan match as "crucial" and emphasizing that qualification is not yet guaranteed despite the six points already earned.
Mbappé, who has worn the number 10 jersey for seven years, acknowledges that although he doesn’t fit the classical playmaker role of French legends like Platini or Zidane, he aspires to leave a mark on his generation. This qualifier is a significant moment for him to solidify his status as France’s top scorer.
An emphatic victory is anticipated, with the French team expected to dominate and the Parc des Princes set to be electrified. The lineup is expected to feature experienced and in-form players including Maignan, Gusto, Upamecano, Saliba, T. Hernandez, Coman, K. Thuram, Rabiot, Olise, Ekitike, and captain Mbappé. The 1995 record 10-0 win over Azerbaijan and recent high-scoring matches set a backdrop of high expectations for a similar dominant performance tonight.