Kylian Mbappé said his move to Real Madrid helped “get his head back in place” and his brilliant start to the season has highlighted that.
The France striker has scored 16 goals in 14 appearances for club and country and has failed to find the net in only one match in his second season in the Spanish capital.
It took him until the middle of January to reach the same number having moved from Paris Saint-Germain last year but the 26-year-old said life away from his homeland was easier for him.
“I’ve adapted well to Madrid, I’m a little more relaxed there,” he told a news conference ahead of the World Cup qualifier at home to Azerbaijan.
“This isn’t an attack on France. The lifestyle is different, it’s less hectic than in Paris. I’ve managed to get my head and legs back in place.”
Last month Mbappé, who trained individually on Wednesday due to an ankle problem but has declared himself fit, surpassed Thierry Henry as France’s second-highest goalscorer with a penalty in their qualifier against Iceland for his 52nd for the national team.
He now has Olivier Giroud’s record of 57 in his sights but is currently more focused on extending France’s 100% record at the top of Group D and securing qualification.
“I think I’m going to break the record. When, I don’t know, I don’t think about it,” he added.
“Maybe tomorrow, maybe in a long time. The most important thing is to qualify for the World Cup. That will come naturally.
“I’ll be happy when it happens and I’ll move on because there’s something to be done.
“But this is a team [Azerbaijan] that held Ukraine to a draw so we cannot mess around.
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“The stakes are higher than scoring goals, even if we’re not going to hold back.”
Head coach Didier Deschamps is well aware of the bigger picture and will not take the 124th-ranked team in the world lightly.
“We respect all our opponents. They have that national fervour too and given their last result they have nothing to lose,” he said.
“We mustn’t give them the opportunity to have dangerous situations against us.
“It’s not always easy as a player. Just because we have six points doesn’t mean we’re already qualified.
“We can tease or mock Italy [who missed the last World Cup] but we mustn’t have a short memory because we’ve been through that too.
“In football, it doesn’t take much, I don’t want to leave room for chance or imponderables.”
