EAST RUTHERFORD, New Jersey. France successfully began their journey in the 2026 FIFA World Cup by prevailing 3-1 over Senegal in a Group I match, played before more than 80,000 fans at the New York/New Jersey Stadium.
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The team led by Didier Deschamps had to work harder than expected to overcome a Senegalese side that showed organization, intensity, and the ability to compete on equal terms for much of the match.
During the first half, the French struggled to generate play in the midfield and barely managed to create clear scoring chances. Senegal, for their part, came close to opening the scoring in a quick offensive transition led by Nicolas Jackson, whose shot hit the post after an outstanding collective effort.
However, the landscape changed after the break. France pushed their lines forward, increased the intensity of their attacks, and began to impose the quality of their offense.
The reward arrived in the 66th minute when Michael Olise threaded a precise pass to Kylian Mbappé, who finished with class to open the scoring and give the European champions some peace of mind.
With Senegal forced to push forward in search of an equalizer, spaces began to appear and France took advantage of the situation. Bradley Barcola extended the lead in the 82nd minute, bringing the Gauls closer to a victory that seemed sealed.
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However, the Africans did not give up and found a goal in stoppage time through Ibrahim Mbaye, who kept the hope of a comeback alive in the final moments.
Any possibility of a reaction was nullified just a minute later, when Mbappé appeared again with a powerful shot to sign his brace of the night and establish the final 3-1 score.
In addition to Mbappé’s offensive prominence, France relied on a solid defensive performance led by Dayot Upamecano and William Saliba, who neutralized much of Senegal’s attempts and provided security to the French backline.
With this result, France adds its first three points in Group I and confirms its status as a title contender, while Senegal left a good impression despite the defeat and will look to recover in its next group stage match.
The combination of Mbappé’s talent, Olise’s creativity, and the offensive depth of the French team ended up making the difference in a duel that required patience and effectiveness to tip the scales in favor of the Europeans.
