Real Madrid star Kylian Mbappe was on target for his 50th international goal in France colours as Les Bleus saw off Germany with a 2-0 win at the MHPArena in Stuttgart to finish third in this year’s UEFA Nations League finals.
What happened in the match?
A quite eventful first half saw Mike Maignan make crucial saves to keep France in the game, while Florian Wirtz hit the post. Germany were awarded a penalty when Karim Adeyemi went down under Lucas Hernandez’s challenge, but VAR overturned it after carrying out a review..
Mbappe eventually broke the deadlock before halftime, controlling a cross from Real Madrid teammate Aurelien Tchouameni before firing past Marc Andre Ter Stegen’s despairing dive in the Germany goal.
In the second half, Die Mannschaft had a goal ruled out for a foul by Niclas Fullkrug while Ter Stegen kept GermanyJulian Nagglesman’s side in it with fine stops from Thuram and Mbappe. However, the Barcelona shot-stopper couldn’t deny Michael Olise, who sealed the win late on after a quick counter.
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Kylian Mbappe’s milestone
Kylian Mbappe’s goal against Germany in the Nations League third-place playoff marked his 50th goal for France in just his 89th appearance. The 26-year-old is now only one goal shy of Thierry Henry’s tally of 51 goals in 123 matches and seven behind former Arsenal and Chelsea striker Olivier Giroud, who leads with 57 goals in 137 appearances.
Can Kylian Mbappe become France’s all-time top scorer?
Kylian Mbappe is currently only seven goals behind France’s all-time top scorer Giroud. This means the former Monaco star only needs another eight international goals to outrightly replace Giroud at the summit of that chart.
At only 26 years old, Mbappe is currently at the peak of his powers. His goal-scoring prowess earned him the European Golden Boot in his first season at Real Madrid. Mbappe’s prolific nature coupled with his incredible goals-per-game ratio suggests that it’s only a matter of time before he bags his 58th goal for the 2018 World Cup winners.
Olaoluwa is a dedicated sports writer and passionate football enthusiast with two years of experience. Known for his keen analysis and commitment to the game, his work reflects a deep love for football, blending strategic insight with the emotional moments that make it a global passion. He is focused on honing his skills and consistently aims to inspire and engage readers through every article he writes.
