There are few international football sides who can boast as illustrious a history as Les Bleus. One of the main powerhouses at any World Cup or European Championship, France have had a plethora of star names turn out in their national colours, with some having the silverware to go with it.
But who has scored the most goals for France? Here is a list of the top French goalscorers of all time, with a detailed look at the very best the country has produced over the years…
All information correct as of 15th May 2025.
Rank
Player
Caps
Goals
1
Olivier Giroud
137
57
2
Thierry Henry
123
51
3
Kylian Mbappe
87
48
4
Antoine Griezmann
137
44
5
Michel Platini
72
41
6
Karim Benzema
97
37
7
David Trezeguet
71
34
8
Zinedine Zidane
106
31
9=
Just Fontaine
21
30
9=
Jean-Pierre Papin
54
30
11
Youri Djorkaeff
82
28
12
Sylvain Wiltord
92
26
13
Jean Vincent
46
22
14
Jean Nicolas
25
21
15=
Paul Nicolas
35
20
15=
Eric Cantona
45
20
17
Jean Baratte
32
19
18=
Roger Piantoni
37
18
18=
Raymond Kopa
45
18
20=
Franck Ribery
81
16
20=
Laurent Blanc
97
16
Here is a detailed look at France’s top 10 goalscorers:
10 Jean-Pierre Papin 30 goals (54 caps)
Perhaps a forgotten man (outside of his home nation, at least) of a less-than-impressive era for France on the international stage, Jean-Pierre Papin was nevertheless a prolific goalscorer for club and country.
A Champions League, UEFA Cup and Ballon d’Or winner during his career, a lack of success on the international stage for Papin was perhaps the only stain on an otherwise exemplary career.
France’s failures to qualify for successive World Cups and a woeful showing at Euro 1992 certainly hampered Papin’s chances of glory, but he managed to deliver a fine goals record nonetheless.
9 Just Fontaine 30 goals (21 caps)
The only player with more goals than games on this list, Just Fontaine’s place in French football folklore is assured. Not only was his goals record astonishing, but his 13-goal haul at the 1958 World Cup remains a record to this day, and accounts for nearly half of all his goals for Les Bleus.
Fontaine netted over double what Pele recorded during the tournament in Sweden, where he scored in every match he played. This included a hat-trick and two braces before grabbing four more goals in the third-place play-off against West Germany.
8 Zinedine Zidane 31 goals (106 caps)
Having been eligible for Algeria through his parents, France will be undeniably glad they got to Zinedine Zidane first.
Coming to the fore during their home World Cup in 1998, Zidane scored twice in the final to establish himself as a national hero. He then dazzled at Euro 2000 as Les Bleus secured an international double, scoring crucial goals in the knockout stages.
France then suffered disappointments at the 2002 World Cup and Euro 2004, prompting Zidane to announce his international retirement.
He was brought out of retirement to skipper France at the following World Cup finals in Germany, where he defied his age by guiding his side to the final with a number of stellar performances – though we all know how that ended…
7 David Trezeguet 34 goals (71 caps)
David Trezeguet’s finest hour in a France shirt came in the final of Euro 2000, when his golden goal strike handed France the Henri Delaunay trophy as they defeated Italy 2-1.
33 other strikes in blue and white accompanied that one, meaning few can boast a record as impressive as the former Juventus ace.
That includes goals at the 1998 World Cup and Euro 2004, making Trezeguet one of the more decorated French strikers of his generation.
6 Karim Benzema 37 goals (97 caps)
While Karim Benzema’s record for France is impressive, it could have been so much more had he not been exiled while in the prime of his career after becoming embroiled in scandal.
This caused him to miss Euro 2016 (hosted in France), as well as the 2018 World Cup (won by France). He made a comeback to the national fold for Euro 2020, before missing the 2022 World Cup through injury.
He did, however, manage to earn silverware himself, scoring in the Nations League final as France saw off Spain.
5 Michel Platini 41 goals (72 caps)
Perhaps the greatest French footballer of his – or even any – generation, Michel Platini almost single-handedly took France to new heights on the international stage.
His crowning glory for Les Bleus was undoubtedly his exploits at Euro 1984, where his nine tournament goals (a Euros record) guided the nation to a first major international honour.
Platini’s time as France’s all-time record goalscorer stood from 1984 until 2007, when Thierry Kenry surpassed his total.
4 Antoine Griezmann 44 goals (137 caps)
Still active and hoping to be a key part of France’s Euro 2024 campaign in the summer, Antoine Griezmann’s longevity in the national setup has helped earn him a lofty place among his country’s best goalscorers.
His first came in a warm-up friendly ahead of the 2014 World Cup, when he netted against Paraguay. He didn’t score at the tournament, but was Les Bleus’ star man when France hosted the European Championship in 2016.
He netted six goals and was named as the Player of the Tournament, though was unable to deliver the trophy on home soil. He made amends by lifting the World Cup two years later, notching four more strikes, including one in the final against Croatia.
Griezmann has the opportunity to close in on Thierry Henry’s tally this summer.
3 Kylian Mbappe 48 goals (87 caps)
Kylian Mbappe is poised to break France’s all-time goalscoring record over the next few years.
Scoring his first at the age of 18 in a World Cup qualifier against the Netherlands, he has already had as illustrious an international career as many greats have, with a World Cup (and a Nations League) to his name already. But for Lionel Messi, he could well have had two – though he was able to settle for the Golden Boot.
With Olivier Giroud’s lead now cut to single figures, it is surely just a matter of time before Mbappe becomes the true king of French football.
2 Thierry Henry 51 goals (123 caps)
While his international record may seem underwhelming at first glance given his supreme exploits at club level, Thierry Henry stood above the rest for over a decade after breaking Michel Platini’s total in 2007.
His finest moments in a French shirt came towards the beginning of his career, where he was part of the World Cup and European Championship-winning sides either side of the millennium.
And although the latter part of his international career was shrouded in controversy as France qualified for the 2010 World Cup in contentious circumstances, there is no denying Henry’s status as one of the greatest French footballers of all time.
1 Olivier Giroud 57 goals (137 caps)
One of the more underappreciated players on this list, Olivier Giroud has the ultimate comeback for anyone who doubts the Frenchman’s status as a footballing great.
Becoming France’s record goalscorer during the 2022 World Cup (in fewer caps than predecessor Henry), Giroud’s place in his nation’s history is set in stone. His status as France’s main forward in the era of Griezmann and Mbappe came into question when he started every game during Les Bleus’ victorious World Cup campaign without scoring a goal, though this arguably serves to make his international goal haul even more impressive. Chapeau, Olivier.