Mbappe relaxed over topping Platini's France goal total
France's Kylian Mbappe celebrates their victory at the Euro 2024 group B qualifying football match between France and the Netherlands at the Stade de France in Saint Denis, outside Paris, France, Friday, March 24, 2023. (AP Photo/Christophe Ena)

DUBLIN, Ireland, (AFP) – Kylian Mbappe will try to put thoughts of surpassing France great Michel Platini's international goal-scoring tally to one side when he faces the Republic of Ireland in a Euro 2024 qualifier.

The 24-year-old Paris Saint-Germain star is set to captain Didier Deschamps' men in Dublin on Monday, having scored two goals in Friday's comprehensive 4-0 defeat of the Netherlands.

Those goals followed Mbappe's hat-trick in an agonising World Cup final loss to Argentina in December.

Mbappe has now scored 38 international goals, just three fewer than playmaker Platini, but still some way short of Olivier Giroud's all-time France record of 53 goals.

"For me, it's an honour to be at this stage," Mbappe told a pre-match press conference on Sunday. "That's my next target and I'll keep going, It might be tomorrow, it might not.

"Obviously Michel Platini is a legend of French football, but I'll get past that mark at some point."

France coach Deschamps, who appointed Mbappe captain in succession to the long-serving Hugo Lloris, was confident, however, his new skipper would put the team's needs ahead of any personal aims.

"That's Kylian, he's full of ambitions, always setting himself new objectives, new goals," said Deschamps. "But the group, the collective, comes first. He's gone past people quickly, but his motivation is to keep going."

Now you can read the Jamaica Observer ePaper anytime, anywhere. The Jamaica Observer ePaper is available to you at home or at work, and is the same edition as the printed copy available at https://bit.ly/epaper-login

HOUSE RULES

  1. We welcome reader comments on the top stories of the day. Some comments may be republished on the website or in the newspaper; email addresses will not be published.
  2. Please understand that comments are moderated and it is not always possible to publish all that have been submitted. We will, however, try to publish comments that are representative of all received.
  3. We ask that comments are civil and free of libellous or hateful material. Also please stick to the topic under discussion.
  4. Please do not write in block capitals since this makes your comment hard to read.
  5. Please don't use the comments to advertise. However, our advertising department can be more than accommodating if emailed: advertising@jamaicaobserver.com.
  6. If readers wish to report offensive comments, suggest a correction or share a story then please email: community@jamaicaobserver.com.
  7. Lastly, read our Terms and Conditions and Privacy Policy
Polls

Which long-term investment option is more attractive to you at the moment?