7 Best French Soccer Strikers Of All-Time

France has spawned some of the greatest strikers in soccer history.

French attacking genius who have featured for elite European teams, proving themselves on the continent and inspiring their country to international triumph!

But who are the best French soccer strikers of all time?

7. David Trezeguet

One of the greatest French Soccer strikers of all time is David Trezeguet. He claimed 71 caps for his country and scored a total of 34 goals. Trezeguet helped France win both the 1998 World Cup and Euro 2000 whilst also being named in the FIFA 100 during 2004.

He played for teams such as Platense, Monaco and Juventus. Trezeguet registered 559 appearances during his club career, scoring 273 goals, winning two Serie A titles along with a Supercoppa Italiana, and finished Serie A Top Goalscorer for 2001/02.

6. Olivier Giroud

Olivier Giroud’s international debut came in 2011. He earned 137 caps and scored 57 goals which is currently the highest in his country’s history. Giroud helped his nation win the 2018 World Cup whilst also claiming both the European Championship Bronze Boot in 2016 and World Cup Bronze Boot for 2022.

He is one of the best French Soccer strikers of all time, featuring most notably for Arsenal, Chelsea, and AC Milan, scoring 284 club goals in 694 matches. Giroud won four English FA Cups, a Serie A title, and the Champions League in 2021. He was Ligue 1’s top goalscorer for 2011-12 and won the FIFA Puskás Award for a special scorpion-style strike in 2017.

5. Antoine Griezmann

Antoine Griezmann first featured for the French national side in 2014, now sitting fourth on the all-time appearance list having accumulated 135 caps and scoring 44 goals. He won the 2018 World Cup, the European Championship Golden Boot in 2016, was named French Player of the Year and finished third in the Ballon d’Or on two separate occasions.

He remains one of the greatest French Soccer strikers of all time. Griezmann played for such teams as Real Sociedad, Atletico Madrid, and Barcelona, scoring 268 times in nearly 700 appearances. He won the Supercopa de Espana, Copa del Rey and Europa League in 2018. 

4. Just Fontaine

Just Fontaine was a striker for French league clubs Nice and Reims from 1953 to 1962, appearing 284 times and netting 258 goals during his career. He won four French division titles, two Coupe de France, and was European Cup runner-up in 1959. Fontaine finished as the French Division’s top scorer twice, the European Cup top scorer for 1959, and is part of the FIFA 100 of 2004. 

Amongst the best French Soccer strikers of all-time, Fontaine made just 21 international appearances for his country and yet hit an impressive 30 goals. He came third in the 1958 Ballon d’Or having scored a record 13 goals across only six games at the World Cup that same year. 

3. Karim Benzema

Karim Benzema has featured in 451 matches across European football for clubs such as Lyon and Spanish giants Real Madrid. He has struck 451 goals and won the Ballon d’Or in 2022 whilst at the Bernabeu along with four Ligue 1 titles, four La Liga, a host of domestic cups, and no less than five Champions League!

Amongst the best French Soccer strikers of all time, Benzema scored 37 goals in 97 caps. He helped his country win the Nations League in 2021, finish as 2022 World Cup runners-up and was named French Player of the Year on four different occasions. 

2. Kylian Mbappe

As one of the greatest French soccer strikers of all time, Kylian Mbappe is closing in on a century of caps and has netted nearly 50 goals. He formed part of their national team that won both the 2018 World Cup and Nations League in 2021. Mbappe is currently the third-highest goalscorer in his country’s history.

He has recorded almost 400 appearances for teams such as Monaco, PSG, and now Real Madrid, scoring almost 300 goals for his club sides. So far, Mbappe has won seven Ligue 1 honors, four Coupe de France titles, and was a Champions League runner-up in 2020. He was named Ligue 1 Player of the Year five times, Ligue 1 top goalscorer on six occasions, and French Player of the Year three times.

It is interesting to hear the opinion of Dany Sevensa, a French sports columnist for a local radio station. He also writes for the French gambling informational website Jouerenlignefr and has looked at various bookmakers‘ odds and estimated: “Mbappe’s transfer saga in 2023/24 not only caught the attention of football fans but also became a major event in the world of betting. The odds changed frequently as speculation around his possible transfer began, with Real Madrid emerging as the favorites.” This transfer, which was heavily followed on the betting markets, will probably be remembered as one of the most significant in recent history.

1. Thierry Henry

Thierry Henry is considered by many to be the best French Soccer striker of all time. He earned 123 caps for France, scoring 51 times whilst famously part of both their 1998 World Cup and 2000 European Championship winning teams. Henry is the second-highest scorer for France ever. He finished second in the 2003 Ballon d’Or and was awarded French Player of the Year on five occasions. 

He spent his playing career at the likes of Juventus, Arsenal, and Barcelona, making a total of 813 club appearances whilst scoring an impressive 366 goals in total. He won two Premier League titles, a host of domestic cups and the Champions League with Barcelona in 2009. Henry was recently named in the Premier League Hall Of Fame during 2021.