Kylian Mbappe etched his name into French football history after scoring twice in France’s 3-1 victory over Senegal in their opening match of the FIFA World Cup in New Jersey.
The Real Madrid star delivered when it mattered most, taking his international tally to 58 goals and moving past Olivier Giroud to become France’s highest scorer of all time. His memorable performance also helped Les Bleus secure all three points in a contest that proved far more difficult than many expected.
Despite entering the tournament among the favourites, France struggled to impose themselves during the opening period. Senegal looked confident and created the better opportunities, causing plenty of concern for Didier Deschamps’ side.
Nicolas Jackson came closest to opening the scoring when his low effort struck the post before bouncing off goalkeeper Mike Maignan and narrowly missing the target. Moments before halftime, Ismaila Sarr squandered another excellent chance after meeting a dangerous cross from Sadio Mane.
France looked far sharper after the interval and began creating meaningful opportunities. Desire Doue threatened early in the second half, while Edouard Mendy produced impressive saves to deny both Michael Olise and Mbappe.
The breakthrough finally arrived when Mbappe found space inside the penalty area and calmly guided a low shot beyond Mendy. Senegal thought they had a route back into the game when Jackson found the net shortly afterwards, but the effort was ruled out for offside.
France extended their advantage late in the contest through Bradley Barcola, whose composed finish appeared to put the result beyond doubt. However, Senegal refused to surrender. Teenage forward Ibrahim Mbaye, aged just 18, produced a stunning strike from a difficult angle to become the youngest African player ever to score at a World Cup.
Any hopes of a dramatic comeback were ended in stoppage time. Mbappe collected possession outside the area and unleashed a brilliant long range effort that flew into the net, sealing both the victory and a personal milestone.
The brace also lifted Mbappe to 14 World Cup goals, drawing level with German legend Gerd Muller and leaving him only two behind tournament record holder Miroslav Klose.
France may have taken time to find their rhythm, but once their attacking stars came to life, the difference in quality became clear. With Mbappe leading the charge and rewriting the record books, Les Bleus have launched their World Cup campaign in impressive fashion.
