Mbappé Makes History as France Defeats Senegal 3-1 in World Cup Thriller

NEW YORK, USA — Kylian Mbappé etched his name even deeper into French football history on Tuesday night, scoring twice as France opened their FIFA World Cup 2026™ campaign with an entertaining 3-1 victory over Senegal at the New York/New Jersey Stadium.

The French captain's stunning brace took his international tally to 58 goals, making him the outright all-time leading scorer for the French national team and surpassing the previous record held by Olivier Giroud.

Senegal Start Brightly

Despite the final scoreline, Senegal began the match with confidence and looked the more dangerous side in the opening stages.

Nicolas Jackson came agonizingly close to opening the scoring when his effort beat goalkeeper Mike Maignan but bounced off both the post and the goalkeeper before staying out. Jackson later found the net, only to see his goal ruled out for offside. Ismaila Sarr also missed a promising opportunity as Senegal continued to threaten.

France struggled to find their rhythm during the first half, but Didier Deschamps' side emerged with renewed energy after the break.

Mbappé Takes Control

The turning point came midway through the second half. After warning signs from Désiré Doué and Michael Olise, France finally broke through in the 66th minute.

Olise delivered a clever pass into the path of Mbappé, who calmly fired beyond Edouard Mendy to level Olivier Giroud's long-standing scoring record of 57 goals for Les Bleus.

France continued to push forward and doubled their advantage in the 82nd minute through substitute Bradley Barcola, who finished off a swift attacking move to put the two-time world champions firmly in control.

Dramatic Finish

The final minutes brought late drama.

Teenage sensation Ibrahim Mbaye pulled one back for Senegal in the 95th minute, briefly giving the African side hope of an unlikely comeback.

However, Mbappé responded immediately. Just moments later, the Real Madrid superstar unleashed a magnificent strike from outside the penalty area, beating Mendy and securing both the victory and a place in the history books.

Chasing Another World Cup Record

With 14 World Cup goals to his name, Mbappé is now only two goals away from equaling the all-time tournament scoring record of 16, held by German legend Miroslav Klose.

The 27-year-old continues to build a remarkable legacy and has already established himself as one of the greatest players in World Cup history.

Player of the Match

Michael Olise (France) was named the Michelob Ultra Superior Player of the Match after an outstanding creative display that helped unlock Senegal's resilient defense.

What They Said

Kylian Mbappé (France Captain): "I play to make my mark on my country's history, to ensure my team reaches the final and wins the World Cup."

Didier Deschamps (France Coach): "It's always important to win your opening match. We were nervous early on, but the team reacted well and found solutions."

Edouard Mendy (Senegal Goalkeeper): "We weren't able to execute our game plan consistently. Against a team with this much talent, every detail matters."

Match Summary

France 3-1 Senegal

France scorers: Mbappé (66', 90+6'), Barcola (82')

Senegal scorer: Ibrahim Mbaye (90+5')

France now turns its attention to its next Group I encounter against Iraq, while Senegal will seek a response when they face Norway.

For Les Bleus, the World Cup has started in winning fashion — and for Kylian Mbappé, another historic chapter has already been written.