17/06/2026 10:56 - Deportes
Estadio de fútbol nocturno con fanáticos franceses celebrando un gol, jugador con brazos en alto frente a banderas azules ondeando
The France national team, World Cup runners-up, began their 2026 World Cup campaign with a 3-1 victory over Senegal at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey, in the first round of Group I. The standout performer was Kylian Mbappé, who scored a brace that established him as France's all-time top scorer in World Cup history.
The 2026 FIFA World Cup is being co-hosted by the United States, Canada, and Mexico. MetLife Stadium, located in East Rutherford, New Jersey, is one of the key venues and will also host the final. Senegal, the African champions from 2022, are known for their physical style and talented squad featuring stars like Sadio Mané.
The first half showed a France side struggling to find its rhythm. Senegal, finalists in the last Africa Cup of Nations, stood their ground and created two clear chances: a shot from Nicolas Jackson that hit the post and a missed opportunity by Ismaïla Sarr after a brilliant pass from Sadio Mané.
In the second half, manager Didier Deschamps adjusted his strategy: he moved Michael Olise centrally and the French team transformed into an unstoppable attacking force. Senegalese goalkeeper Édouard Mendy made two great point-blank saves, but couldn't prevent the opening goal.
| Minute | Player | Country | Score |
|---|---|---|---|
| 66' | Kylian Mbappé | 🇫🇷 France | 1-0 |
| 82' | Bradley Barcola | 🇫🇷 France | 2-0 |
| 95' | Ibrahim Mbaye | 🇸🇳 Senegal | 2-1 |
| 96' | Kylian Mbappé | 🇫🇷 France | 3-1 |
In stoppage time, Senegal pulled one back through Ibrahim Mbaye, but Mbappé sealed the match with a stunning long-range strike that found the top corner to make it 3-1.
Olivier Giroud (38) is France's former starting striker, World Cup winner in 2018, and the country's all-time top scorer with 57 goals. Mbappé surpassed his World Cup goal tally with this brace.
After the match, Mbappé was asked if he felt he needed to respond to his critics following a trophyless season at Real Madrid. His response was emphatic and ironic:
"If I started playing just to silence critics, I think I'd have to play until I'm 80."
In the press conference, the 27-year-old striker added: "I'm very happy to be able to write my name a bit more into my country's history", and noted that he'll have time to think about records when he stops playing.
France leads Group I with 3 points and a +2 goal difference. The group also includes Iraq, who haven't played yet. The victory gives peace of mind to the World Cup runners-up heading into their next matches.
Mbappé emphasized that the team still has room for improvement: "I don't think we're fully optimized yet, but it's always important to start well in a competition like this."
France will face Iraq in their second Group I match. Mbappé will look to extend his goal tally and close in on the all-time record shared by Miroslav Klose (Germany, 2014 champion) and Lionel Messi (Argentina, 2022 champion), who remarkably equaled that mark with a hat-trick in Argentina's opener against Algeria on the same day.
The race for the historic World Cup scoring record is more alive than ever at this 2026 tournament.
Miroslav Klose set the World Cup scoring record with 16 goals across four tournaments (2002-2014). Lionel Messi, Argentina's legendary captain, matched this record during the 2022 World Cup in Qatar. Mbappé, at just 27, has already scored 14 World Cup goals across three tournaments (2018, 2022, 2026).
Alfredo S. Quiroga
