Kylian Mbappe continued his remarkable World Cup legacy on Tuesday, scoring twice to inspire France to a 3-1 victory over Senegal in their opening Group I match of the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
The Real Madrid superstar delivered another masterclass, taking his World Cup tally to 14 goals—just two behind all-time leading scorer Miroslav Klose—as France began their quest for a third world title with an impressive comeback win.
Bradley Barcola also found the net for Didier Deschamps’ side, while Senegal’s Ibrahim Mbaye scored a late consolation goal in front of a crowd of more than 80,000 spectators at the New York/New Jersey Stadium.
France struggled to impose themselves in the opening half as Senegal dominated large spells and created the better opportunities.
Chelsea forward Nicolas Jackson nearly gave the Lions of Teranga the lead midway through the first half after breaking through on goal, but his effort struck the post before bouncing off goalkeeper Mike Maignan and narrowly missing the target.
Ismaila Sarr then squandered another golden opportunity just before halftime, firing over the crossbar with only Maignan to beat.
After the interval, France came alive thanks largely to the brilliance of Michael Olise. Coach Didier Deschamps switched the Bayern Munich winger into a central role, a tactical move that transformed the match.
Olise first tested Senegal goalkeeper Edouard Mendy before creating a chance for Mbappe, who was denied by the former Chelsea shot-stopper.
France thought they had won a penalty shortly after the hour mark when Sadio Mane challenged Mbappe inside the box, but referee Alireza Faghani waved away the appeals after a VAR review.
Moments later, Olise delivered a sublime pass that allowed Mbappe to race into the area and calmly slot home the opening goal in the 66th minute.
Substitute Bradley Barcola doubled France’s advantage late in the game after being released by Adrien Rabiot, seemingly putting the contest beyond Senegal.
However, Ibrahim Mbaye reduced the deficit in stoppage time to give Senegal a glimmer of hope.
Any hopes of a dramatic comeback were extinguished moments later when Mbappe unleashed a spectacular long-range strike in the 96th minute to seal the victory and write his name into French football history.
The brace moved the 27-year-old past legendary French striker Just Fontaine and took his international tally to 58 goals, making him France’s all-time leading scorer.
Mbappe’s latest double further cemented his place among football’s greatest World Cup performers.
The former Paris Saint-Germain forward scored in France’s triumphant 2018 World Cup campaign and netted a hat-trick in the 2022 final against Argentina despite Les Bleus losing on penalties.
His 14 World Cup goals now put him ahead of football icons Pele and Lionel Messi and level with German legend Gerd Muller. Only Ronaldo Nazario (15 goals) and Miroslav Klose (16 goals) remain ahead of him.
Senegal, led by veteran star Sadio Mane and managed by Pape Thiaw, showed resilience and quality throughout the contest but paid heavily for failing to convert their first-half opportunities.
Despite a spirited display, the African champions could not withstand France’s second-half resurgence, spearheaded by the outstanding Michael Olise.
France, one of the favourites to win the tournament, will next face Iraq before taking on Erling Haaland’s Norway as they aim to secure qualification for the knockout stages.
For Deschamps, who is expected to step down after 14 years in charge following the tournament, the victory marked an ideal start to what could be his final World Cup campaign.
