Mbappe speaking after the game
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I play to leave a mark on my country’s history and to help my team win the World Cup. I don’t think we’re fully up and running yet. But it’s always good to start a tournament with a win. It gives you a bit more peace of mind, even though you’re never really relaxed at a World Cup.
Mbappe needs three more for the World Cup record
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The Frenchman has now scored 14 World Cup goals, one behind Gerd Muller and the Brazilian Ronaldo. Miroslav Klose is on 16.
— Opta Analyst (@OptaAnalyst) June 16, 2026Kylian Mbappé has 14 goals in World Cup games.
Only Miroslav Klose (16) and Ronaldo (15) have scored more in the history of the competition. pic.twitter.com/fJQP4EX5wj
Giroud on the man who broke his France record
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A much, much better second half. Congrats Kylian you made it. I’m really happy for him. He had a good second half, better connection with Olise. He showed the team the way.
FT: France 3 Senegal 1
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That second half was a reminder of why you leave players like Mbappe on the pitch, even when they are having a stinker. Helped by a much-improved France performance, he proved decisive with two goals that make him France’s all-time record goalscorer.
There were teething problems in the first 45 minutes, not least because the ball kept bouncing off Mbappe, but it is an impressive victory over the (not quite) champions of Africa. France banish the ghosts of 2002 and have the ideal platform to kick on from here.
99 minutes: France 3 Senegal 1
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Still time for Tchouameni to almost score an own goal! Maignan fumbled slightly, and it looked like the ball may have bounced over the line, but the referee’s watch did not buzz.
GOOOOOALLL! Mbappe with a screamer
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That was the briefest of scares for France. Olise does well to keep the move going in midfield, before Mbappe winds up from fully 30 yards. A sweet hit, but while there was some swerve on the shot, should Mendy have reacted quicker? The shot was right above him.
GOOOALL! A PSG player scores for Senegal
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Mbaye with an impressive solo goal, and Deschamps slams his water bottle into the ground. Mbaye sits down a blue shirt in the box, and blasts a shot beyond Maignan who should have done better.
93 minutes: France 2 Senegal 0
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Cherki is fouled, and France can continue to kill the game. There might even be a third goal in this for them if they carve out another counter-attack or two. Saliba and Upamecano have been solid for France, even when the team was not playing well.
90 minutes: France 2 Senegal 0
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There will be EIGHT minutes of added time. Still time for Senegal to make France nervous.
87 minutes: France 2 Senegal 0
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Another France change: Rayan Cherki has replaced Desire Doue. Probably the last thing some of these Senegal players would have wanted to see. Ciss has replaced Idrissa Gueye in midfield for Senegal.
84 minutes: France 2 Senegal 0
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France were pretty abject in the first half, but they have created plenty of chances in the second 45 minutes. France have scored twice, Mendy has saved two one-on-ones and France should probably have had a penalty, too. When they get it right, they will cut teams apart.
GOOOALL! Barcola with a classic counter-attacking goal
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That should seal the victory for France. Senegal enjoying some possession in the France half, pushing for an equaliser, but Tchouameni regained the ball and then Rabiot did well to progress it in midfield. Barcola made a slicing run across the Senegal defence, picked out by Rabiot, and the winger lifted the ball over Mendy to score. A cute finish from a player who has been accused of lacking composure.
78 minutes: France 1 Senegal 0
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The game remains in the balance and Senegal have enough threat to keep France honest. Diouf has been impressive from left-back, and his menacing cross from the left is flicked just over by Jackson. Flag up in any case.
Deschamps makes his first change: Barcola replaces PSG team-mate Dembele.
74 minutes: France 1 Senegal 0
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France defend the corner, and then look threatening again, but Doue’s left-footed shot from a tight angle is saved by Mendy. France have gone through the gears since half time, they could not have got any worse.
Camara and Ismaila Sarr off for Senegal, Sunderland’s Diarra and PSG’s Mbaye the players on.
72 minutes: France 1 Senegal 0
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Play is back under way after the second drinks break of the game, and Senegal have a corner.
68 minutes: France 1 Senegal 0
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Jackson hammered the ball into the roof of the net shortly after that Mbappe goal, but the flag was up for offside.
Mbappe produced a flute celebration after scoring, as he promised.
GOOOOALLL! Mbappe comes alive
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Mbappe is now level with Olivier Giroud as France’s all-time top scorer. It is a great run across the face of Koulibaly, picked out by a pass from Olise and Mbappe had the presence of mind to finish across Mendy.
63 minutes: France 0 Senegal 0
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The Mbappe penalty incident looked a foul in real time, and once the referee goes to screen you assume it is a foregone conclusion. But we assumed wrongly on this occasion.
France threaten again! Slick football out from the back involving Upamecano, before a delightful spin and through ball from Olise. Mbappe could not quite gather it.
NO PENALTY!
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The French players assumed Alireza Faghani was going to point to the spot, but he actually pointed for a goal kick. It was difficult to hear the referee explain his decision but his verdict is that Mbappe “initiated the contact.” Not sure about that.
Plenty of confusion in the crowd about what was going on there. Looked for a moment like the referee had pointed to the penalty spot having changed his mind. But in what must be a world first, he stuck with his decision after reviewing the incident on a pitch side monitor.
— Match of the Day (@BBCMOTD) June 16, 2026Should France have been awarded a penalty for this? 🤔
VAR sent the referee to the monitor but he stuck with his on-field decision. pic.twitter.com/dT9JZhLy65
59 minutes: France 0 Senegal 0
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Vociferous appeals for a France penalty! Referee waves it away but VAR is checking. Mbappe pushed the ball beyond Sadio Mane, and the Senegal captain was nowhere near the ball. There was not much contact on Mbappe either, but he may well have caught the forward with his trailing leg.
The referee is going over to the monitor.
57 minutes: France 0 Senegal 0
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France growing into the game now, but Mendy makes another important save. Camara lost the ball in midfield in a tricky spot, and one Olise pass released Mbappe in behind. Only had the goalkeeper to beat, but Mendy saved with an outstretched leg. Mbappe did not quite catch it.
55 minutes: France 0 Senegal 0
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Olise tries a dummy, but Mbappe failed to read it. Then Senegal move the ball really crisply down their right flank, but Sarr’s pass towards Jackson was a touch too heavy. The game is starting to open up now.
53 minutes: France 0 Senegal 0
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Mbappe loses the ball on the edge of the Senegal box yet again, and a dangerous counter-attack results in Saliba going to ground and winning a vital challenge against Sarr in the France penalty area. Mbappe could not complain if he was given the hook.
Then Olise goes close! Senegal lose the ball in a dangerous position, and Olise pushed the ball beyond Koulibaly to burst into the penalty area, but Mendy rushed out to make the save.
Shades of Michael Owen against Argentina in the way Olise pushed the ball across the body of the defender to fashion the chance.
50 minutes: France 0 Senegal 0
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Rabiot did well in the first instance to let the ball run across his body and turn in midfield, but he clumps a pass miles beyond Olise. The weight of final pass in this game has been really poor, from both sides.
47 minutes: France 0 Senegal 0
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More promising from France and Desire Doue, drifting into a central position to receive the ball. He turns and unleashes a left-footed shot which flies just wide of the post. Doue stuck to the left touchline in the first half, that was a different rotation from France.
We are back under way!
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Senegal get the second half started, with another kick into the corner for a throw in.
The teams are back out for the second half
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No changes from either manager. Deschamps has so many options, but perhaps France need to gut this out and find some continuity.
Mbappe playing with a golden boot insignia on his arm
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Whoever’s idea this was, it has done little to help Mbappe’s first touch. The ball has bounced off him too many times so far.
HT: France 0 Senegal 0
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The concept of France’s tantalising front four has been better than the reality so far. Deschamps’ team have had spells of sustained possession, but very little cohesion in attack and Senegal have had the game’s best chances. Jackson struck the post, and Sarr should have scored right on half time. Olise dropping deep to receive the ball, and Kounde being so advanced has looked questionable.
45+6 minutes: France 0 Senegal 0
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Senegal should be 1-0 up going into half time. Far too easy for Senegal to progress down the left through Diouf and then Mane runs off the back of Olise. The low cross runs to the back where Sarr has wriggled three but he blast over the bar from six yards with his left foot.
45+2 minutes: France 0 Senegal 0
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That sums it up for France so far: Dembele with time and space to carry the ball forward towards the Senegal back four, but he misplaced a pass towards Doue when there was a chance to look for Mbappe.
45 minutes: France 0 Senegal 0
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Upamecano has been France’s best player so far, he plucks a long ball towards Gueye out of the sky and mops up well. There will be six minutes of added time to play.
43 minutes: France 0 Senegal 0
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The referee is not taking any nonsense. Pape Gueye goes down looking for a foul, but is told to get up, and then the free-kick is awarded to France. Whipped in by Dembele, headed away by Koulibaly.
41 minutes: France 0 Senegal 0
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Olise shows a flash of skill to release Kounde on the overlap, but his low cross was behind Mbappe and poor.
The crowd have gone a little quiet now. The atmosphere is more like the animated buzz you get at Lord’s after everyone has had a good lunch.
39 minutes: France 0 Senegal 0
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Senegal’s right-back Diatta has skipped beyond Doue three times, but France have not been punished for allowing their opponents to gain territory so easily.
Sarr with a dangerous run inside off the right flank, and he was tripped by Saliba. The referee waved play on, and Mane tested Maignan with a shot from distance.
The Senegal fans and their manager Pape Thiaw are making it clear they would have preferred the free-kick.
36 minutes: France 0 Senegal 0
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Senegal feel Kounde should have been penalised for a foul, but the challenge earned France a promising break only for Rabiot to lose the ball after picking the wrong pass. France have not clicked yet, but that is not atypical in the first game of a tournament.
34 minutes: France 0 Senegal 0
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France with another lengthy spell of possession, but Senegal are sliding from side to side and keeping them at bay with their defensive shape. Mendy is yet to make a save.
30 minutes: France 0 Senegal 0
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Play restarts with a long throw from Senegal’s right flank, launched in from Niakhate. Cleared, before Dembele wins a foul for a high boot.
France give the ball away again, this time Olise is the guilty party, but Sarr lost his footing as he lined up a right foot shot from just outside the penalty area.
25 minutes: France 0 Senegal 0
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Nicolas Jackson hits the post for Senegal! And it all started with a heavy Mbappe touch and Diouf snapped into the tackle to rob him of possession. Jackson runs Upamecano in the left channel and takes on the shot from a tight angle, but the ball cannoned off the post, off Maignan’s foot and wide. So unlucky.
Practically the last action before the first drinks break.
Smattering of booing from French fans when the players went off for the water break.
22 minutes: France 0 Senegal 0
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That is precisely the scenario where you need to tread carefully against France: there was a chance for Senegal to counter-attack but they lost the ball cheaply in midfield, and suddenly Mbappe was running at their back four with Rabiot in support. The angle for the cross from Rabiot was too narrow. France counter-attacking the counter-attack.
19 minutes: France 0 Senegal 0
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Wonderful left-footed pass from Pape Gueye, first time to release Ismaila Sarr behind Hernandez, but he shanked his cross behind for a goal kick when there were targets to hit in the box.
17 minutes: France 0 Senegal 0
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After that positive Senegal start, France have a grip of the game and are dominating possession. Upamecano put under pressure by Jackson, but the France defender comes away with the ball. He has made an impressive start.
Mbappe is staying up front and Doue sticking to the left; it is Dembele and Olise who have the freedom to roam.
14 minutes: France 0 Senegal 0
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France wast another opening after a poor attempt at a chested lay-off by Koulibaly dropped straight at the feet of Dembele. Mbappe was on his bike but Dembele overhit the through ball. The PSG forward sinks to his knees, he knows that Mbappe was through with a better ball.
12 minutes: France 0 Senegal 0
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Better from France, Dembele sliding a pass into Mbappe in the penalty area but the captain’s touch let him down. That’s twice that Mbappe has found space down the sides of the Senegal centre-backs, but he and France have not quite executed.
10 minutes: France 0 Senegal 0
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Senegal putting France under pressure whenever possible, and Olise is dropping deep in an effort to help the 2022 finalists play out. When he does that, Kounde pushes up to hold the width for France on the right. Senegal will be pleased by their start. France yet to stitch anything together of note.
7 minutes: France 0 Senegal 0
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Senegal dangerous again, space opened up after a flick around the corner from Jackson into Sarr, but it was a superb defensive recovery from Upamecano to smother the shot and then clear. Saliba always plays as the right-sided centre-back at Arsenal, but he has a different view of things for France as the left-sided centre-back.
4 minutes: France 0 Senegal 0
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Mbappe and Dembele almost operating like a front two in the early exchanges. There was space for France’s captain to peel into and Rabiot looked for him early, but the ball hit Mbappe in the back rather than running across his body. The pitch is looking a little bobbly and dry.
2 minutes: France 0 Senegal 0
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Really bright start from Senegal, asking questions of France’s defensive rigour. Neat interplay and a dangerous cross from Diouf on the left flank, and it is a really important header from Theo Hernandez under pressure at the back post. Maignan is fouled and the referee blows his whistle, even though Tchouameni was the player who trod on his own goalkeeper.
KICK OFF!
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France get the game started, and they go for the PSG-style kick to touch from kick-off.
The teams are out in New Jersey
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The pitch is bathed in sunshine, and from a distance the playing surface looks smooth enough. There is almost not roof to speak of at the MetLife Stadium, it is exposed to the elements.
A moment for the BBC to forget
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On France’s team graphic: Jules Kounde’s name is in front of a picture of Ibrahima Konate, and an erroneous second picture of No 4 Dayot Upamecano has been labelled as William Saliba.
Can France’s midfield get through the dirty work?
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What’s the French for hot take? Because I think I might have one... is it possible that the French midfield is a potential area of weakness? The defence is ridiculously strong and the attack is even stronger, but might France’s opponents look at Tchouameni and Rabiot and think there’s an opportunity there? Both are excellent players, of course, but they will have to do a lot of dirty work behind that front four and I am not convinced that’s their area of expertise. N’Golo Kanté is the grand master of such things, but France can’t rely on a 35-year-old throughout this tournament.
Sun shining at the Metlife Stadium
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France are out and “warming up” in 26C heat. Not sign of the Senegalese yet.
The thin bleus line
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How will that France front four line up?
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Desire Doue can play from both flanks, Michael Olise can play from the right or as a No 10, Ousmane Dembele can play all across the front line, and Kylian Mbappe can play as a centre-forward or from the left. I think it will be Olise from the right, Doue off the left, and Dembele just off Mbappe. But it could be very fluid.
Senegal team news: Experience of Mane preferred to Ndiaye
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It looks like Senegal’s usual 4-3-3, with a Premier League flavour to a front three of Ismaila Sarr, Nicolas Jackson and Sadio Mane.
Senegal starting XI: Edouard Mendy, Diatta, Koulibaly, Niakhate, El Hadji Diouf, Camara, Idrissa Gueye, Pape Gueye, Ismaila Sarr, Jackson, Mane
Subs: Yehvann Diouf, Diaw, Mamadou Sarr, Seck, Ciss, Diao, Dieng, Cherif Ndiaye, Iliman-Cheikh Ndiaye, Jakobs, Pape Sarr, Mbaye, Diarra, Bara Ndiaye, Antoine Mendy
France team news: Saliba fit to start, fab four up top
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The Arsenal defender has been nursing some discomfort in his back, but Saliba is ready to start. You can only marvel at the quality of the front four, and also Adrien Rabiot’s limpet-like ability to stay in Deschamps’ team.
France starting XI: Maignan, Kounde, Saliba, Upamecano, Theo Hernandez, Tchouameni, Rabiot, Olise, Dembele, Doue, Mbappe
Subs: Samba, Risser, Gusto, Digne, Kone, Thuram, Barcola, Kante, Konate, Zaire Emery, Lucas Hernandez, Mateta, Cherki, Akliouche, Lacroix
Fans making their way from Manhattan
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The MetLife Stadium is just across the Hudson river on the other side of the New York/New Jersey border, and most fans will be travelling from Manhattan via train from Penn Station or by bus. As can be the case in the United States, the journey looks deceptively short on a map, but can prove a trek, and a congested one at that.
Our World Cup predictor tool
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It is not too late to play our World Cup predictor and find your tournament winner. By early on Thursday morning we will have seen all 48 teams play. Morocco’s first 45 minutes against Brazil was possibly the best team performance, but no statement victory for one of the favourites just yet. It could come from France tonight.
France’s captain is in the building
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Kylian Mbappé was handed the armband after Hugo Lloris retired, even if Didier Deschamps concedes he is a different kind of character. Mbappé could become France’s all-time leading goalscorer at this tournament, as well as breaking the record for most goals scored at the World Cup.
France’s awesome firepower faces difficult early test
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Opinions will vary on what should be considered appointment viewing in the group stage of this expanded World Cup, but France vs Senegal is a fixture loaded with promise.
It also brings back memories of 2002, when World Cup holders France were shocked by Senegal in the tournament’s opening game. A France team featuring Lilian Thuram, Patrick Vieira, Thierry Henry and David Trezeguet were beaten by Papa Bouba Diop’s winning goal. France failed to score in the group stage and were sent packing at the first hurdle.
France have a reputation for delivering all or nothing returns, but they have been more consistent over the last decade, reaching three finals in five tournaments since Euro 2016, including the final of the last two World Cups.
Little wonder that the 2018 winners are considered favourites to lift the trophy for a third time this summer, with a fearsome collection of attacking talent for manager Didier Deschamps to choose from.
Potentially, France could line up with a quartet of Kylian Mbappé, Ousmane Dembélé, Rayan Cherki and Michael Olise, but Dembele and Mbappé have not always gelled. The PSG forward has gone from strength to strength since moving from the wing to a more roving central role, but that spot is occupied by Mbappé in France’s team.
Senegal were the on-pitch winners of the Africa Cup of Nations, before being stripped of the title because their players walked off the pitch in protest at a penalty in the final. They have top-level European experience in all departments, and look the strongest collective of all the African nations at the tournament. Given Ivory Coast and Egypt have already turned in very creditable showings, that suggests France are in for a very tricky opening game. Senegal were 4-1 winners against England in a friendly last summer.
Both of these teams will also play Erling Haaland and Norway in what looks a very competitive top three in Group I.
Full team news on the way shortly.