France vs Senegal
Photography by: Peter Bonilla
France needed a spark. As it turned out, they only needed Kylian Mbappé.
The France captain scored twice, including a record-breaking strike deep into stoppage time, as Les Bleus opened their 2026 World Cup campaign with a 3-1 victory over Senegal at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey. What looked like a potentially frustrating night for one of the tournament favorites quickly became another chapter in Mbappé's growing legacy.
For much of the first half, however, Senegal looked more likely to seize control.
The Lions of Teranga pressed aggressively, disrupted France's rhythm, and created the game's best opportunities before the break. Nicolas Jackson came within inches of opening the scoring when his low effort struck the post after beating Mike Maignan, while Ismaïla Sarr squandered a golden chance moments before halftime, firing over from close range after a dangerous delivery across the box.
France's star-studded attack struggled to find its footing. Mbappé, Michael Olise, Ousmane Dembélé and Désiré Doué rarely combined effectively, leaving Senegal's back line relatively comfortable through the opening 45 minutes.
But France emerged from halftime with greater urgency.
Olise and Mbappé both tested Édouard Mendy as the pressure mounted, and the breakthrough finally arrived in the 66th minute. Olise slipped a clever pass into Mbappé's path, and the Real Madrid forward made no mistake, firing past Mendy to draw level with Olivier Giroud atop France's all-time scoring chart.
The goal changed everything.
Senegal continued to threaten sporadically, but France looked increasingly dangerous in transition. Substitute Bradley Barcola doubled the lead late on, calmly finishing after another flowing French move.
The match then exploded into life during a frantic stoppage-time sequence. Eighteen-year-old Ibrahim Mbaye briefly reignited Senegal's hopes with a powerful finish from a tight angle, becoming the youngest African goalscorer in World Cup history. Yet any thoughts of a comeback lasted barely a minute.
Mbappé delivered the final word.
Collecting the ball outside the area, he unleashed a stunning long-range strike that flew beyond Mendy and into the net, sealing the result and moving him onto 58 international goals — one more than Giroud and enough to make him France's all-time leading men's scorer.
It was a fitting finish to a night that perfectly captured Mbappé's brilliance. For long stretches he was quiet, frustrated, and largely contained. Then, in a matter of moments, he changed the game and the history books.
The scoreline may flatter France, who were second-best for much of the opening half, but tournament football often comes down to moments. Senegal had theirs and couldn't take them. France had Mbappé.
And once again, that proved to be enough.
