Kylian Mbappé once again proved why he is considered one of the greatest phenomena in world football by leading France to a hard-fought 2-1 victory over Senegal in their World Cup opener. After a painful first half, marked by criticism and lack of inspiration, “Les Bleus” came to life in the second half, with Mbappé becoming the hero of the night – and also inscribing his name in history as the all-time top scorer for the French national team.
Didier Deschamps, under pressure to field a dominant team, saw his France side struggle in the International Stadium of Lusail. The French faced a tenacious Senegal team that caused them serious problems during the first half, where the lack of coordination and slowness of the French players did not go unnoticed. Among those targeted was Mbappé, who lost possession of the ball seven times in just 14 touches during the first 45 minutes, an unprecedented occurrence for the forward now with Real Madrid.
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The match came to life in the second half. France began creating clear goal-scoring opportunities, with Michael Olise and Désiré Doué threatening the Senegalese goal. However, the major controversy arose in the 57th minute: Sadio Mané brought down Mbappé inside the penalty area, but the referee, after consulting VAR, refused to award a penalty, leaving the entire French delegation in shock and questioning the fairness of the decision.
Driven by the injustice they felt, “Les Bleus” responded with class. In the 65th minute, Michael Olise delivered a precise cross from the right flank to Mbappé, who, without hesitation, struck first time, placing the ball in the far corner and beating the Senegalese goalkeeper. The goal unlocked the match and galvanized the French team, which would go on to extend their lead. Adrien Rabiot brilliantly assisted Bradley Barcola, who, in the 81st minute, found himself one-on-one due to Senegal’s defensive apathy and coolly made it 2-0.
Senegal managed to reignite the game in the final minutes, with the young Ibrahim Mbaye, just 18 years old, reducing the deficit to 2-1, but the last African gasp was quickly stifled by another moment of brilliance from Mbappé. The forward seized a quick transition to score his second, sealing the final result and becoming the all-time top scorer for the French national team, a remarkable achievement for someone still with many years ahead.
In the aftermath, criticism of the French team’s slow start and Senegal’s defensive weaknesses came swiftly. French commentator Jean-Pierre Papin stated, immediately after the final whistle: “The first half was a disaster; it looked like they were asleep on the pitch. But Mbappé woke the team up and showed that he is a true leader.” Meanwhile, coach Didier Deschamps acknowledged the difficulties: “It was a complicated start, but our response was fantastic. Mbappé made the difference when we needed it most.”
Kylian Mbappé, named Man of the Match, did not hide his emotions: “I felt I had to do more for the team after what happened at the beginning. This record is important, but the main thing is the victory and starting the World Cup well,” said the French forward, still on the pitch.
With these three points, France positions itself as a title contender, but a warning remains: apathetic displays like that of the first half can be fatal in the later stages of the competition. Senegal, on the other hand, will need to rethink its defensive approach if it wants to keep hopes of qualification alive.
In the coming days, France prepares to face theoretically more accessible opponents, allowing them to manage the squad and give minutes to those who have played less. Senegal, meanwhile, must win the next match to avoid an early elimination. For Mbappé, the bar is set higher: after this double goal and the record achieved, all eyes will be on what he can still accomplish in this World Cup.
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