By Daily Review Online
France kicked off their 2026 FIFA World Cup campaign with a 3-1 victory over Senegal on Tuesday, overcoming a difficult first half before producing a dominant second-half display at New York-New Jersey Stadium.
Captain Kylian Mbappé made history by scoring twice and becoming France’s all-time leading scorer, while Bradley Barcola added another goal as the two-time world champions secured all three points in their Group I opener.
After a cagey first half that ended goalless, France found their rhythm after the break. Mbappe broke the deadlock in the 66th minute after receiving a precise pass from Michael Olise and calmly finishing beyond Senegal goalkeeper Édouard Mendy.
Barcola doubled France’s advantage in the 82nd minute, delicately chipping Mendy after being played through by Adrien Rabiot.
Senegal briefly threatened a comeback when Ibrahim Mbaye pulled one back in stoppage time, but Mbappe immediately extinguished any hopes of a late revival by smashing home a long-range effort moments later.
The victory also saw Mbappe eclipse former French striker Olivier Giroud as France’s all-time leading goalscorer. His second goal of the night took his tally to 58 international goals, while his first had drawn him level with Giroud’s previous record of 57.
Mbappe also reached another milestone by scoring his 14th World Cup goal, surpassing French legend Just Fontaine to become France’s highest scorer in World Cup history.
France struggled for large periods of the opening half, managing only one shot on target and finding it difficult to break down a disciplined Senegal side.
Senegal created several opportunities, with striker Nicolas Jackson coming closest when his effort struck the post after capitalising on a French defensive mistake.
However, a tactical adjustment by coach Didier Deschamps at halftime transformed the contest. Moving Olise into a central role gave France greater creativity and control, allowing Les Bleus to dominate possession and create more dangerous attacking opportunities.
The victory extends Deschamps’ impressive World Cup record, maintaining a perfect record in opening matches as France manager and strengthening France’s early position in Group I.