France got off to a winning start in the 2026 World Cup with a 3-1 victory over Senegal at MetLife Stadium on Tuesday night, as Kylian Mbappé stole the show with a record-breaking brace.
It wasn’t always straightforward, but Les Bleus showed their quality when it mattered.
The first half remained goalless despite plenty of tension. Senegal defended stubbornly and created some dangerous moments, with Ismaïla Sarr missing a good chance. France had more of the ball but struggled to break down the compact block.
The weight of 2002 history could be felt hanging over the game, but France did not want history to repeat itself. In 2002, Senegal pulled off one of the biggest upsets in World Cup history by beating defending champions France 1-0 in the tournament’s opening game in South Korea.
But France was not ready to see this happen again. Mbappé finally broke the deadlock in the 66th minute. He picked up the ball, spun away from his marker, and rifled a beautiful shot into the top corner from distance. The stadium erupted. That strike gave France the lead and sparked its attack into life.
Bradley Barcola came off the bench and made an instant impact, scoring the second goal for France in the 82nd minute. The young forward showed composure and pace that Senegal just couldn’t handle in the closing stages.
Senegal refused to give up. In the 95th minute, Ibrahim Mbaye pulled one back to make it 2-1 and set up a frantic finish. The Lions of Teranga threw everything forward, hoping for a dramatic equalizer in front of their passionate fans.
However, they were caught off guard by Mbappé in the 96th minute, when he slotted home his second of the game after good work from Michael Olise. That made it 3-1 and sealed the win.
Mbappé’s first goal saw him equal Olivier Giroud as France’s all-time top scorer. His second moved him outright to the top with 58 international goals for France. He also reached 13 World Cup goals for France, drawing level with Just Fontaine’s national record in the competition.
The match had a special flavor as a Franco-African clash, with many French players having Senegalese or broader African roots. This added extra emotion, but on the pitch, France’s depth and firepower proved too much in the end.
Deschamps’ side looked sharp in patches and will gain huge confidence from getting three points on the board early.
France will face Iraq next on June 22, while Senegal will look to redeem itself when taking on Norway the same day in what should be another tough test for both. Group I remains wide open, but France has the early advantage.
