Mbappé Double Helps France Beat Senegal 3-1 in World Cup Opener
France defeated Senegal 3-1 in Group I's opening match, powered by a brace from Kylian Mbappé and a goal from Bradley Barcola.
On June 18, 2026, at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey, France defeated Senegal 3-1 in their opening match of Group I at the 2026 FIFA World Cup. After a goalless first half, France secured the win with a brace from Kylian Mbappé and a goal from Bradley Barcola.
The first half saw both teams unable to break the deadlock. France held a slight edge in possession, but Senegal's defensive organization kept the score at 0-0 heading into halftime.
France broke through in the 66th minute when Michael Olise assisted Kylian Mbappé for the opener. In the 82nd minute, Adrien Rabiot set up Bradley Barcola to make it 2-0. Senegal pulled one back in the 90+5th minute through Ibrahim Mbaye, assisted by Iliman Ndiaye, but Mbappé responded immediately with an unassisted goal in the 90+6th minute to seal the 3-1 victory.
Statistically, France recorded 11 total shots (8 on target) compared to Senegal's 6 (2 on target). France held 53% possession against Senegal's 47%. Corner kicks favored France 6-4, fouls were 5-9, and offsides 1-3. France's goalkeeper made 2 saves, while Senegal's made 5. France completed 575 passes (88% accuracy), Senegal 502 (86% accuracy). Expected goals (xG) stood at 1.79 for France and 0.53 for Senegal.
The player of the match was France forward Kylian Mbappé, who earned an 8.2 rating over 90 minutes, scoring two goals, taking 4 shots, and completing 16 passes. Mbappé, 27, plays for Real Madrid and has 97 caps for France. Born in Paris, he stands 180 cm tall and has a market value of €200 million.
After the first round of Group I, Norway leads with 3 points after a 4-1 win over Iraq, followed by France in second on goal difference. Senegal and Iraq are third and fourth respectively.
For France, this victory provides a strong foundation for advancing. They face Iraq on June 23, while Senegal takes on Norway the same day.
For more match details, visit the match page. Follow France and Senegal for updates, and check the Group I standings.