The France national football team's scoring chart shows us some of the greatest players in football history. Zinedine Zidane in his prime was pure art. Michel Platini is a player with the same stereotype. Just Fontaine is known as a World Cup legend. And then there are clinical attackers like Jean-Pierre Papin, David Trezeguet, and Thierry Henry.
Today, those great players have been replaced by Karim Benzema, Olivier Giroud, and Kylian Mbappe who can spend a lot of their time on the pitch celebrating goals.
But who is France's deadliest attacker ever? Let's take a look at the legends who are at the top of their all-time scoring charts! Scroll down and check them out!
He made his international debut against South Africa in 1997 and scored his country's first goal against the same opponent in a 3–0 win in 1998.
With a total of 123 caps, Henry scored a total of 51 goals for the French national team.
Olivier Giroud made his debut for France against the US in November 2011 and scored his first goal for France in a 2–1 win over Germany.
The most important contribution of his international career was the assist for Kylian Mbappe to score the second in a 4-3 victory over Argentina in the 2018 World Cup.
Giroud has scored a total of 51 goals for France to become the all-time leading scorer for Les Bleus alongside Thierry Henry.
The Frenchman had key moments throughout the tournament, none surpassing his performance in the final against Croatia as he was involved in most of France's goals. in a 4-2 win.
Up to now, Griezmann has scored 42 goals and has 32 assists for France.
The Ballon d'Or winner scored 41 goals in 72 appearances for France, before retiring in 1987.
A unique fact about Platini is that he retired one day November 27, 1988 to represent Kuwait at the request of the Queen of Kuwaiti.
His journey with the national team began in March 2007, when then-coach Raymond Domenech gave him his debut against Austria.
In 45 minutes of play on his debut, Benzema scored the only goal of that game for France to win.
After a five-year absence from the national team due to the infamous sex tape scandal involving compatriot Mathieu Valbuena, Benzema's best scoring record since his return was against Portugal at Euro 2020 when He scored a brace in a 2-2 draw.
During his eight years with the national team, he scored 34 goals in 71 appearances, with the golden goal in the Euro 2000 final against Italy being the undisputed highlight.
The worst moment of his career with France came when the striker came on as a substitute in the 2006 World Cup final against Italy.
The game turned to a penalty shootout and Trezeguet was the only player from either team to miss the penalty kick.
After Eric Cantona was suspended for a year in January 1995 for assaulting a fan, Zidane was promoted to France's playmaker.
He made 108 appearances for France, scored 31 goals, and won the World Cup in 1998, a feat that earned him the Ballon d'Or that year.
The French player was also the key to helping France win Euro 2000.
Zidane's international career ended in the most dramatic way when he headbutted Marco Materazzi during the 2006 FIFA World Cup final against Italy, resulting in a red card.
He retired from professional football after that match.
At the tournament, the striker scored 13 goals in just six games, which is the highest number of goals scored by a player to date at a World Cup tournament.
During his international journey, Fontaine scored 30 goals in just 21 games.
Papin scored 30 international goals in 54 matches for France, a career that saw him feature in the national team that failed to qualify for the 1988 European Championships and FIFA World Cups. world 1990 and 1994.
The striker's first goal for the national team was against Canada at the 1986 World Cup.
France qualified for Euro 1992 in Sweden, with Papin scoring nine goals in the qualifying round. However, Les Bleus failed to make it past the group stage of the tournament.
The Paris Saint-Germain star made his national team debut aged 18 years, three months, and five days in March 2017 and scored his first goal for Les Bleus a few months later in a World Cup qualifier against the Netherlands.
The first highlight of his international career came at the 2018 World Cup when he scored in the final against Croatia to help France lift the trophy.
It was Djorkaeff who assisted Zidane's second goal in the 1998 World Cup final against defending champion Brazil.
Today, those great players have been replaced by Karim Benzema, Olivier Giroud, and Kylian Mbappe who can spend a lot of their time on the pitch celebrating goals.
But who is France's deadliest attacker ever? Let's take a look at the legends who are at the top of their all-time scoring charts! Scroll down and check them out!
#1 Thierry Henry | 51 goals
Source: Gettyimages
He made his international debut against South Africa in 1997 and scored his country's first goal against the same opponent in a 3–0 win in 1998.
With a total of 123 caps, Henry scored a total of 51 goals for the French national team.
#2 Olivier Giroud | 51 goals
Source: Gettyimages
Olivier Giroud made his debut for France against the US in November 2011 and scored his first goal for France in a 2–1 win over Germany.
The most important contribution of his international career was the assist for Kylian Mbappe to score the second in a 4-3 victory over Argentina in the 2018 World Cup.
Giroud has scored a total of 51 goals for France to become the all-time leading scorer for Les Bleus alongside Thierry Henry.
#3 Antoine Griezmann | 42 goals
Source: Gettyimages
The Frenchman had key moments throughout the tournament, none surpassing his performance in the final against Croatia as he was involved in most of France's goals. in a 4-2 win.
Up to now, Griezmann has scored 42 goals and has 32 assists for France.
#4 Michel Platini | 41 goals
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The Ballon d'Or winner scored 41 goals in 72 appearances for France, before retiring in 1987.
A unique fact about Platini is that he retired one day November 27, 1988 to represent Kuwait at the request of the Queen of Kuwaiti.
#5 Karim Benzema | 37 goals
Source: Gettyimages
His journey with the national team began in March 2007, when then-coach Raymond Domenech gave him his debut against Austria.
In 45 minutes of play on his debut, Benzema scored the only goal of that game for France to win.
After a five-year absence from the national team due to the infamous sex tape scandal involving compatriot Mathieu Valbuena, Benzema's best scoring record since his return was against Portugal at Euro 2020 when He scored a brace in a 2-2 draw.
#6 David Trezeguet | 34 goals
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During his eight years with the national team, he scored 34 goals in 71 appearances, with the golden goal in the Euro 2000 final against Italy being the undisputed highlight.
The worst moment of his career with France came when the striker came on as a substitute in the 2006 World Cup final against Italy.
The game turned to a penalty shootout and Trezeguet was the only player from either team to miss the penalty kick.
#7 Zinedine Zidane | 31 goals
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After Eric Cantona was suspended for a year in January 1995 for assaulting a fan, Zidane was promoted to France's playmaker.
He made 108 appearances for France, scored 31 goals, and won the World Cup in 1998, a feat that earned him the Ballon d'Or that year.
The French player was also the key to helping France win Euro 2000.
Zidane's international career ended in the most dramatic way when he headbutted Marco Materazzi during the 2006 FIFA World Cup final against Italy, resulting in a red card.
He retired from professional football after that match.
#8 Just Fontaine | 30 goals
Source: Gettyimages
At the tournament, the striker scored 13 goals in just six games, which is the highest number of goals scored by a player to date at a World Cup tournament.
During his international journey, Fontaine scored 30 goals in just 21 games.
#9 Jean-Pierre Papin | 30 goals
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Papin scored 30 international goals in 54 matches for France, a career that saw him feature in the national team that failed to qualify for the 1988 European Championships and FIFA World Cups. world 1990 and 1994.
The striker's first goal for the national team was against Canada at the 1986 World Cup.
France qualified for Euro 1992 in Sweden, with Papin scoring nine goals in the qualifying round. However, Les Bleus failed to make it past the group stage of the tournament.
#10 Kylian Mbappe | 29 goals
Source: Gettyimages
The Paris Saint-Germain star made his national team debut aged 18 years, three months, and five days in March 2017 and scored his first goal for Les Bleus a few months later in a World Cup qualifier against the Netherlands.
The first highlight of his international career came at the 2018 World Cup when he scored in the final against Croatia to help France lift the trophy.
#11 Youri Djorkaeff | 28 goals
Source: Gettyimages
It was Djorkaeff who assisted Zidane's second goal in the 1998 World Cup final against defending champion Brazil.