´Maybe it will be tomorrow´ – Mbappe certain France goal record will come

Kylian Mbappe has no doubt that he will overhaul Olivier Giroud’s all-time goalscoring record for France, perhaps as early as Friday’s game against Azerbaijan, but he is more focused on helping his team qualify for the World Cup.

France are top of Group D with maximum points following qualification victories against Ukraine (2-0) and Iceland (2-1) during the last international break.

Didier Deschamps’ team were far from free-flowing in either match, but Mbappe was on target in both to move to 52 international goals.

He is five shy of Giroud’s all-time Bleus record of 57, having played 48 games fewer for France than his former striker partner did.

And while Mbappe is not ruling out a five-goal haul to draw level with Giroud at the Parc des Princes on Friday, he is relaxed about becoming his country’s leading marksman.

“I don’t break a taboo if I say that I can score goals against anyone,” Mbappe said at Thursday’s pre-match press conference.

“But they are a team that held Ukraine in check, where we didn’t have it easily. The stakes are more important than me scoring goals.

“I think I’m going to beat him, but when, I don’t know. Maybe tomorrow… who knows?

“Maybe it will take longer. It’s something that will come naturally. It’s going to happen and I’ll be happy when it happens, and I’ll move on afterwards.”

Mbappe’s participation against Azerbaijan, and in Monday’s return fixture against Iceland, was in doubt after he limped out of Real Madrid’s 3-1 win over Villarreal last week.

Though Mbappe sustained a minor ankle injury in that match, he says Madrid were understanding when he expressed his desire to play in France’s upcoming games.

“We talked with the club about it, and that [worry] has always existed because it is the clubs that pay for the players,” Mbappe said.

“Everything went well in Madrid, that was very clear. I have something in my ankle, but I said I wanted to play and there was no argument.”