Kylian Mbappe scored a brace as France opened its FIFA World Cup campaign with a 3-1 win over Senegal. | Photo Credit: Reuters

France beat Senegal 3-1 at the MetLife Stadium, but the scoreline scarcely reflects how uncomfortable Didier Deschamps’ side was made to feel for much of the play. For long stretches, the contest looked like a game between two teams that knew each other intimately.

Perhaps there was little surprise in it.

Until independence in 1960, Senegal formed part of Afrique-Occidentale française (French West Africa), with Dakar serving as the capital of the federation that anchored France’s colonial presence across the region.

Decades later, football continues to extend that thread. Senegal captain Kalidou Koulibaly spent his formative years at Metz, while Idrissa Gueye, Ismaila Sarr and Nicolas Jackson are among the latest generation to follow a path that has long run through the Ligue 1 cradle.

Aliou Cissé trusted experience over youth in midfield, preferring Idrissa Gueye to Pape Matar Sarr, and his side quickly settled into a familiar rhythm. Though France held most of the early possession, it struggled to build anything substantial from that advantage.

Kylian Mbappé was guilty of breaking down promising moves with heavy touches after Michael Olise and Ousmane Dembélé had twice, in quick succession, found him in space.

Senegal, meanwhile, looked content to sit deep and absorb pressure, waiting for opportunities to exploit any free space. Sadio Mane, Ismaila and Gueye combined neatly in the seventh minute, carving a hole in the French midfield, but Jackson’s final pass was a little too quick for Ismaila to reach its end.

As the temperature climbed, so did Senegal’s confidence.

France’s adventurous approach left room for Jackson to attack, and the striker came closest to breaking the deadlock after Mbappe was robbed of the ball in the middle. He burst clear down the left and slipped a low effort beyond Mike Maignan, only for the post and a fortunate ricochet off the goalkeeper’s leg to keep the scores level.

For all of France’s possession, the better openings before the break came Senegal’s way. Deep into stoppage time, Mane released Ismaila into space with only Maignan to beat, but the winger’s effort was nowhere near the intended target.

The pattern, however, had begun to shift as the game restarted.

France moved the ball with greater urgency, with Olise becoming increasingly involved in taking the fight to the opponent’s bay. The Bayern Munich winger forced Édouard Mendy into a sharp save after a surging run through the middle. The pressure was mounting. Mbappe had a penalty appeal waved away and later saw another effort gathered by Mendy, but the breakthrough felt inevitable.

It finally arrived in the 66th minute. Released inside the right channel, Mbappe guided a precise finish beyond Mendy to break a deadlock that was making the French increasingly agitated. Senegal thought it had found an immediate response when Jackson rifled a finish into the top corner, but the offside flag intervened.

That moment altered the complexion of the contest. Forced to chase an equaliser, Senegal abandoned the compact shape that had left France frustrated. The spaces France had searched for all afternoon had suddenly become available.

Adrien Rabiot threaded a pass into the path of Bradley Barcola, and the substitute lifted a composed finish past an advancing Mendy to double the advantage.

Senegal finally found a way back when persistent pressure produced a goal from Ibrahim Mbaye. But before the West Africans could fully entertain the thoughts of a comeback, Mbappe scored again to deliver the final flourish. Collecting possession outside the area, he unleashed a curling right-footed effort which curved beyond Mendy and into the top corner, silencing the crescendo that had begun to build again.

For much of the afternoon, Senegal had reminded France why this fixture carries such resonance. Like the side that stunned the world in 2002, it was organised, fearless and, for long, every bit the equal of its illustrious opponents.

There were moments when history seemed ready to stir again.

But while Senegal flirted with the possibility of another famous upset, Mbappe proved the difference between a team that threatened and the one that finally prevailed.

Published on Jun 17, 2026