Mbappé scores again as France tops Senegal in World Cup opener

Kylian Mbappé turned France's World Cup opener into a statement of intent, scoring twice in a 3-1 win over Senegal and pushing a French crowd into immediate celebration. The result did more than deliver three points in East Rutherford, New Jersey; it reinforced the sense that France entered the 2026 World Cup with the expectations of a favorite and the attacking force to justify them.

Mbappé struck in the 66th minute and again in stoppage time at 90+6, with Bradley Barcola adding France's other goal in the 82nd minute. The two-goal night gave the 26-year-old 58 international goals in 99 appearances for France, according to UEFA, moving him past Olivier Giroud at the top of Les Bleus' all-time scoring list. It was a milestone that landed inside a tournament debut, the kind of stage that magnifies both individual achievement and national ambition.

For France, the performance carried the sort of message that matters early in a World Cup. The 2026 tournament runs from June 11 to July 19, and a winning start places France in a strong position in the group stage. More importantly, the manner of the victory underlined how quickly Mbappé can shift the emotional temperature of a match. When he opened the scoring, the reaction from French supporters was instant, a burst of relief and anticipation that reflected the burden and promise wrapped around one of the competition's leading contenders.

Mbappé's record now gives France a new benchmark at the top of its scoring charts, and it arrives at a moment when his role has only become more central. At 26, he is no longer merely the team's most dangerous attacker. He is the player most capable of turning possession into inevitability, and France's opening win suggested that, with him setting the tone, the team remains built to absorb pressure and still look forward rather than back.