France opened their FIFA World Cup 2026 campaign with a 3-1 win over Senegal, but the scoreline told only half the story of a match that demanded patience, nerve and a late assertion of class from Didier Deschamps' side.
For almost an hour, Senegal made France uncomfortable, but France eventually found their rhythm and pushed Senegal deeper. Michael Olise became the player who altered the tempo of the contest, forcing Senegal's defence to retreat and eventually producing the pass that broke the game open.
Kylian Mbappe finished with the certainty of a player built for the biggest stages, scoring the first goal in the 66th minute. Senegal briefly thought they had found an immediate response, but the effort was ruled out for offside.
France, now ahead, looked calmer and more dangerous, while Senegal were forced to take risks. Deschamps' bench then made the difference, with Bradley Barcola introduced late in the second half and scoring in the 82nd minute to make it 2-0.
Senegal did not disappear, with Ibrahim Mbaye pulling one back in stoppage time, but France killed the drama almost immediately. Olise again turned provider, setting up Mbappe for his second goal in the 96th minute to complete a 3-1 win.
