France skipper Kylian Mbappé urged his teammates to focus on victory over Azerbaijan in Friday night's qualifying match for the 2026 World Cup rather than on racking up a big score.
Azerbaijan lie 122 places below second-placed France in the Fifa world rankings.
The Group D minnows, who have never featured at a World Cup tournament since its inception in 1930, visit the Parc des Princes in Paris with a point from their two games against Ukraine and Iceland in September.
"They held Ukraine to a 1-1 draw and we didn't exactly have an easy time when we beat Ukraine," said Mbappé.
"The match against Azerbaijan is a match that's simply worth three points and the challenge isn't to score lots of goals," added the Real Madrid striker. "But of course, if we can, that's what we'll do."
The 26-year-old former Paris Saint-Germain star has been on target in each game of the 2026 World Cup qualifying campaign to take his tally up to 52 goals and within touching distance of Olivier Giroud's record of 57.
"I'll match his feat at some point," said Mbappé, as he prepared to represent his country for the 93rd time.
"I'm not offering up anything earth-shattering when I say that I can score goals against anyone. I'll beat the record at some point. Maybe against Azerbaijan, who knows."
France, who lost the 2022 World Cup final to a Lionel Messi-inspired Argentina, lead their qualifying pool with six points following victories over Ukraine and Iceland. Iceland lie second with Ukraine and Azerbaijan on one point apiece.
2026 World Cup: Mbappé stars as France squeak past Iceland to lead Group D
Deschamps' swan song
After Friday night's encounter with Azerbaijan, France will play in Iceland on Monday in the fourth of the six-game qualifying phase for the first World Cup to feature 48 teams.
The tournament next summer, to be held in the United States, Mexico and Canada, will be France's last with Didier Deschamps at the helm.
The former France midfielder, who captained the 1998 World Cup-winning team, took over as manager in 2012 and steered the national side to victory in Russia 2018.
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The 56-year-old said on the eve of the clash against Azerbaijan that he had adapted to the habits of young players during his tenure.
"Players are more sure of themselves, they have more confidence," Deschamps told the French news agency AFP . "Before, young players did what we told them to do and that was it. Now they're more comfortable because they are ready earlier, they play earlier, they're more mature."
He added: "It is by adapting to players who are inevitably getting younger – since I am getting older – that you navigate between not being an old fool, nor a fake youngster."
Teams from Europe will have 16 spots at the 2026 World Cup. The winner of each of the 12 groups qualifies directly for the month-long tournament. The remaining four spots will be decided through play-offs in March 2026 involving 16 teams.
