It was dubbed the ‘Battle of African Teams’ because of the sheer number of blacks in both the French and Senegal squads.
However, that’s where the similarities end as the final scoreline of France 3 Senegal 1 saw a second African team, after South Africa, lose its opening match in World Cup 2026.
The development means only Cote d’Ivoire has won from Africa so far, beating Ecuador 1-0 even as Morocco, Cape Verde and Egypt all drew.
Kylian Mbappe became France’s all-time leading goalscorer with a superb double as Les Bleus beat Senegal in their Tuesday World Cup opener in New Jersey.
Mbappe broke Senegal’s resistance in the second half with a low strike before rifling home a sensational long-range effort deep into stoppage time.
The Real Madrid forward’s second strike lifted him on to 58 goals for Les Bleus – one clear of former record holder Olivier Giroud.
Bradley Barcola had earlier put France 2-0 up before Ibrahim Mbaye pulled one back, but Mbappe’s second of the game ended Senegal’s hopes of a comeback.
It had been an underwhelming display by France prior to Mbappe’s opener as Senegal created the better opportunities and were perhaps unfortunate not to break the deadlock in an impressive first-half display.
Nicolas Jackson went closest for the Lions of Teranga when he rifled a low shot against the base of the post – which rebounded off goalkeeper Mike Maignan’s foot and trickled narrowly wide of the upright.
Ismaila Sarr should have given Senegal the lead on the stroke of half-time but failed to steer his close-range effort on target after connecting with Sadio Mane’s cross.
A Different France In 2nd Half
France, though, emerged for the second half with renewed purpose and were controversially denied a penalty when Mane appeared to catch Mbappe inside the box.
Referee Alireza Faghani initially awarded a corner for France, but the majority of fans inside the stadium were expecting the official to award a spot-kick after he was sent to his monitor by the Video Assistant Referee (VAR).
Faghani, however, decided that Mbappe had initiated the contact with former Liverpool forward Mane.
It ultimately mattered little, though, as France – and Mbappe – responded in style to secure all three points.
Senegal famously beat Les Bleus in the opening game of the 2002 World Cup, with the late Papa Bouba Diop scoring the only goal in one of the biggest shocks in the competition’s history.
For a while, the Lions of Teranga looked capable of securing another memorable victory against the two-time winners, whose star-studded front four of Mbappe, Ousmane Dembele, Desire Doue and Michael Olise failed to click in the first half.
France managed only three touches inside the Senegal box before the break, and Mbappe struggled to have any impact on the game.
Didier Deschamps’ team, though, were a different animal after the break.
Doue flashed a shot wide within seconds of the restart, while Olise and Mbappe were both denied by Mendy when clean through on goal.
But the former Chelsea keeper was unable to prevent Mbappe, 27, from stealing the show.
The former Monaco and Paris St-Germain striker is now on 14 World Cup goals – level with former Germany great Gerd Muller, and just two behind all-time top scorer Miroslav Klose.
Jackson had a goal disallowed for offside not long after Mbappe’s opener, before Barcola’s delicate finish gave France a two-goal cushion late in the second half.
Eighteen-year-old Mbaye – now the youngest African goalscorer in World Cup history – gave his side hope with a thunderous effort from a tight angle, but Mbappe’s 25-yard effort clinched the win for France.
Next Up?
France travel to Philadelphia to play Iraq in their next Group I game on Monday, 22 June, while Senegal face Haaland’s Norway in New Jersey on Tuesday, 23 June.
*PHOTO CAPTION: Mbappe (No. 10) surrounded by teammates after scoring one of his two goals… Tuesday.
