by Ayomide Balogun
France got their 2026 FIFA World Cup campaign off to a winning start with a 3-1 victory over Senegal at the MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey. A bumper crowd watched as Kylian Mbappé stole the headlines with a second-half brace, while substitute Bradley Barcola added a delightful goal on his tournament debut. Senegal responded late through Ibrahim Mbaye, but it was not enough to spoil the party for France.
The match carried historical weight, coming 24 years after Senegal’s famous 1-0 upset over France in the 2002 World Cup opener. This time, however, France showed their superior quality after a sluggish first half.
Didier Deschamps fielded a strong side featuring Mike Maignan in goal, a back four of Jules Koundé, William Saliba, Dayot Upamecano, and Théo Hernández, with Aurélien Tchouaméni and Adrien Rabiot anchoring midfield. Michael Olise, Ousmane Dembélé, and Désiré Doué supported captain Mbappé in attack.
Senegal, coached by Pape Thiaw, lined up with Édouard Mendy; Krépin Diatta, Kalidou Koulibaly, Moussa Niakhaté, and El Hadji Malick Diouf in defense; and a midfield including Idrissa Gueye and Lamine Camara. Sadio Mané, Nicolas Jackson, and Ismaïla Sarr led the attack.
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The first half was goalless and relatively even, with Senegal matching France’s intensity. France dominated possession slightly but created few clear chances. A controversial penalty decision involving Mbappé was denied after VAR review, leaving Les Bleus frustrated at the break.
France exploded into life after halftime. Mbappé opened the scoring in the 66th minute, finishing clinically after good work from Olise. The floodgates then opened. Barcola, introduced around the 80th minute, produced a sublime chip to make it 2-0.
Senegal refused to surrender and pulled one back in the 90+5th minute through substitute Ibrahim Mbaye. However, Mbappé had the final say, smashing home a long-range strike in the 90+6th minute to seal the win and move closer to French scoring records.
The result puts France top of Group I with three points. Senegal will look to bounce back strongly. Both teams demonstrated why this group could be competitive, but France’s attacking depth proved decisive.This victory serves as a statement from Deschamps’ men as they aim for a second World Cup title in eight years. Senegal, despite the defeat, showed they remain a dangerous side capable of causing problems. The tournament is just getting started, but nights like this remind fans why the World Cup is football’s greatest stage.
