France made a perfect start to their 2026 World Cup campaign with a 3-1 victory over Senegal on Tuesday, June 16th in New York. Beyond the three precious points, this match entered the annals of history thanks to Kylian Mbappé , who scored twice, making him the sole top scorer in the history of French football.

A tense first period

Facing a fearless and incisive Senegal side, the 2018 world champions initially struggled. Rattled by the pace of the African champions, Didier Deschamps' men even came close to conceding in the 25th minute, saved by the post from a Nicolas Jackson effort. At halftime, the score remained 0-0, but France were searching for their second wind.

The Mbappé show and Barcola's break

The French team's performance was transformed after the break. More aggressive and precise, they capitalized on their dominance in the 66th minute.

1. 66th minute: Perfectly served in the box, Mbappé unleashes a clinical, swiveling shot (1-0). With this 57th goal, he equals Olivier Giroud's record.
2. A few minutes later: Bradley Barcola doubles the score and gives the Blues some breathing room (2-0).

Senegal did not give up and reduced the gap through Ibrahim Mbaye, giving themselves hope of a last-minute upset.

A double for eternity

But that was without taking into account the French captain. In added time, Mbappé definitively extinguished Senegal's hopes with a powerful long-range shot (3-1).

Stats point: This 58th international goal allows him to definitively surpass Olivier Giroud. Furthermore, with 14 World Cup goals, he overtakes Just Fontaine to become the tournament's all-time leading French scorer.

A promising outcome for both teams

Thanks to this deserved but hard-fought victory, France has established itself as the ideal leader of its group. For Senegal, despite the disappointing scoreline, the quality of their play suggests a very good chance of qualifying for the upcoming matches.