Mbappe breaks French scoring record as France beat Senegal 3-1 in World Cup opener
Kylian Mbappe became France's all-time leading goalscorer with a brace as Les Bleus overcame a sluggish first half to defeat Senegal 3-1 in their 2026 World Cup Group I opener in East Rutherford, New Jersey.
France began their 2026 World Cup campaign with a 3-1 win over Senegal, but the scoreline masked a disjointed first-half performance. Kylian Mbappe scored twice, a close-range finish and a stunning late strike from 30 metres, to move past Olivier Giroud and become the all-time top scorer for the French men's national team with 58 goals. Substitute Bradley Barcola added a third before Ibrahim Mbaye briefly raised Senegalese hopes in a dramatic stoppage-time sequence.
Senegal dominate a slow first half
France looked laboured from the start, managing only one off-target shot despite over 55 percent possession. Senegal were the more dangerous side. Nicolas Jackson hit the post in the 25th minute after a quick counter-attack, the ball rebounding off goalkeeper Mike Maignan's leg and out for a corner. Late in the half, Ismaila Sarr missed an even bigger chance, firing over from close range after a cross from the left. Les Bleus trudged off at the break fortunate not to be behind.
Deschamps' side wakes up after the interval
Whatever Didier Deschamps said in the dressing room had an effect. Within minutes of the restart, Desire Doue forced a save and Michael Olise broke into the box only to be denied by Edouard Mendy. The Senegal keeper then produced a one-on-one stop against Mbappe in the 57th minute. The pressure was building, and a breakthrough felt inevitable.
VAR controversy and Mbappe's opener
In the 58th minute, Sadio Mane slid in on Mbappe inside the area. The French captain went down, and a penalty seemed certain, but after a lengthy VAR review referee Alireza Faghani ruled that Mbappe had initiated contact and that the ball had last touched him. The game stayed goalless for only eight more minutes. Olise threaded a perfectly weighted through ball, and Mbappe finally beat Mendy with a precise finish to level Olivier Giroud on 57 international goals.
A late flurry and a historic milestone
With eight minutes left, Adrien Rabiot found Bradley Barcola, who had been on the pitch for less than a minute, and the substitute calmly slotted home for 2-0. Senegal refused to fold: Ibrahim Mbaye burst into the box and beat Maignan in the 95th minute. But Mbappe struck back immediately, catching Mendy off his line with a dipping shot from distance that sealed both the victory and his record. The 27-year-old now has 58 goals in 99 international appearances, plus 14 World Cup goals in 15 matches.
