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France are the reigning world champions, having won the World Cup in 2018, and they head to Qatar in November looking to retain it. This will be their 16th World Cup, and they have won the competition in 1998 as well.
Everyone remembers the atmosphere within the Stade de France as the fans and players celebrated together in 2018. France will need to take that energy with them to Qatar.
They also have a splendid squad full of world-class players, especially in attack. Les Blues have had a rich abundance of some of the greatest strikers in the world over the years.
Mentioned below are the top five goal-scorers in France's history.
Someone who is bound to break these records is Kylian Mbappé, but he currently sits 10th in the rankings with 28 goals. Let's take a look at who makes the list.
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#5 Karim Benzema - 37 goals
Karim Benzema would have probably broken the French goalscoring record by now if he had been selected for Euro 2016 and the 2018 World Cup.
He has made 97 appearances for the national team and won the inaugural UEFA Nations League with the team in 2021.
Benzema has enjoyed a brilliant career and has improved with age as he continues to dominate the scoring charts with Real Madrid.
At 34, this will likely be Benzema's last World cup, and he will hope to replicate the success the French had in 2018.
He has the chance to break the record as well, but it will largely depend on how many more opportunities he gets. If he can carry his goal-scoring form for Real Madrid to the national team, then France stand a good chance at this year's tournament.
#4 Michel Platini - 41 goals
Michel Platini made 72 appearances for his country and was a key member of their Euro-winning team in 1984. The closest he came to winning the World Cup was in 1986, when the team finished third in the tournament.
He was predominantly a midfielder, so to be in the top four of the goal-scoring charts from his position is an achievement in itself.
Platini spent most of his career at Nancy, St. Etienne, and Juventus, winning several domestic and European titles. He was majestic as a player and has numerous individual accolades.
He was brilliant at picking out passes and scoring from free kicks and was a joy to watch. Post-retirement, his career has had its controversies, but as a player, there have been few better.
#3 Antoine Griezmann - 42 goals
Antoine Greizmann is yet another player that is still active and has the opportunity to break the goal-scoring record. Griezmann has made 110 appearances for the national team and was part of the World Cup-winning team in 2018.
Griezmann tends to play as an attacking midfielder or winger as opposed to a traditional striker.
He gained fame at Real Sociedad before signing for Atletico Madrid in 2014, for whom he excelled. His move to Barcelona did not work out, and he returned to Atletico in 2021 on loan and has now joined permanently.
Despite being an exciting player, his career has been filled with inconsistency and indecision for his club teams. For France, though, he is one of their brightest players and someone who Didier Deschamps relies on.
#2 Olivier Giroud - 49 goals
Olivier Giroud has made 114 appearances for France and formed a good partnership with Mbappé in 2018.
He rose to prominence at Montpellier when the club won Ligue 1 in 2012. That earned him a move to Arsenal, where he won several FA Cups. He signed for Chelsea in 2018 and won the Champions League and Europa League and was a key player in both tournaments.
He signed for AC Milan in 2021 and won Serie A with the club in his first season and continues to be their most consistent striker.
It is fair to say that he has enjoyed a brilliant career and is likely to break the goal-scoring record in the next few games. Being France's all-time top scorer will be a great accomplishment for Giroud.
#1 Thierry Henry - 51 goals (France top scorer)
Thierry Henry made 123 appearances for France and as of now, remains France's all-time top goal scorer. He won the World Cup in 1998 and the Euros in 2000 and is well known as one of the best strikers football has ever seen.
His career changed when Arsene Wenger signed him for Arsenal from Juventus in 1999 and shifted him out to the left-hand side. He scored 175 Premier League goals, winning the title twice.
He moved to Barcelona in 2007, where he won every trophy available playing alongside players like Ronaldinho, Samuel Eto'o, and Lionel Messi.
Henry knew how good he was, and that was reflected in his wide range of finishes from all angles. He spent the last few years of his career at the New York Red Bulls. He is currently a pundit and also an assistant for the Belgian national team.
