Olivier Giroud was sitting with his phone in hand the moment Kylian Mbappe scored his 58th goal for France, surpassing Giroud’s record in a 3–1 win over Senegal. Within minutes, a text flashed from Giroud to Mbappe: 'Congrats bro, I am really happy for you. Well, I kept the record for three-and-a-half years, and it was great – but now it is yours, and you have to go again… oh, and bro, don’t forget to save me your jersey!' That message, warm and witty, captures the spirit of a rare footballing bond built on respect, not rivalry. The photo Giroud cherishes—taken after he himself broke Thierry Henry’s scoring record at the 2022 World Cup—shows Mbappe wrapping an arm around him, both grinning, a symbol of passing the torch with joy rather than jealousy.
Giroud’s generosity isn’t just sentimental. It’s rooted in the reality of what makes great strikers: a kind of necessary selfishness. He recalls vividly the 2018 World Cup match against Peru, when Paul Pogba’s through ball sent Giroud one-on-one with the keeper. His shot was blocked, the ball looping over the goalkeeper, inching toward the goal line—only for Mbappe, sprinting from behind, to head it in. Reporters asked if he was upset. 'Absolutely not,' Giroud says now. 'I would have done exactly the same – every striker would.' That moment, he believes, wasn’t theft—it was instinct, and proof of the ruthless edge Mbappe brings to the pitch.
At just 27, Mbappe now has 14 World Cup goals, two shy of Miroslav Klose’s all-time record. With at least one more World Cup ahead, and Lionel Messi’s pace slowing, many believe Mbappe will claim that crown too. He’s also just 99 caps into his international career—46 short of Hugo Lloris’s French record—but time is on his side. Giroud, who scored 57 goals over a decade in the national team, sees in Mbappe not just a successor, but a phenomenon. Their on-field chemistry, built from 2017 onward, thrived on contrast: Giroud the aerial target, the creator of space; Mbappe the blur of acceleration, the finisher. Now, Giroud sees echoes of their partnership in Mbappe’s growing understanding with Michael Olise, especially during their fluid first goal against Senegal.
As the next chapter unfolds, Giroud watches with pride, not nostalgia. He’ll collect that jersey when they meet, but more than that, he’ll celebrate the legacy being built. Records are meant to be broken—especially when the one breaking them carries the game forward with grace, speed, and the kind of camaraderie that turns rivals into brothers.