Mbappe makes history as France open their World Cup with a win over Senegal
It took a full half to see the real France. Shaken at times and sloppy for long spells, Les Bleus eventually got the better of Senegal, winning 3-1 on Tuesday at MetLife Stadium to make a successful start to the 2026 World Cup. Kylian Mbappe, who scored twice, capped a night that already mattered plenty on a personal level.
A shaky first half, then France finally wake up
For 45 minutes, the runners-up from the last World Cup offered very little to trust. The passing was off, the forwards struggled to connect, and Senegal carved out the better openings. Nicolas Jackson hit the post, while Ismaila Sarr passed up a huge chance just before the break.
The game changed after half-time. France were quicker, sharper and much more alive. Michael Olise, far more influential in midfield, started to show his quality. After several dangerous moments, he finally picked out Kylian Mbappe, who opened the scoring in the 66th minute. France kept coming. Desire Doue helped drive the turnaround, while Bradley Barcola, off the bench, made it 2-0 a few minutes from time. Ibrahim Mbaye’s stoppage-time goal briefly raised hopes, but only for a moment.
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Mbappe bags a record-breaking night
Seconds after Senegal pulled one back, Kylian Mbappe slammed the door shut with a superb strike to claim his second goal of the night. Those two finishes take him past Just Fontaine, making him France’s all-time top scorer at World Cups with 14 goals. The France captain also stands alone as the leading scorer in the national team’s history with 58 goals, moving clear of Olivier Giroud.
Didier Deschamps will care most about the response from his side after such a flat start. France did not control everything, but they raised the tempo when it mattered and are already closing in on qualification for the knockout rounds.
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Photo credit: CHARLY TRIBALLEAU / AFP
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