Mbappé double fires France past Senegal

Kylian Mbappé opened France’s World Cup campaign in style, scoring twice in a 3–1 win over Senegal that launched their pursuit of a third global title. The Real Madrid forward raised his tournament tally to 14 goals, closing in on Miroslav Klose’s all‑time record, while Bradley Barcola added the other for Didier Deschamps’ side.

France endured a difficult first half, surviving major scares as Nicolas Jackson hit the post and Ismaila Sarr missed a clear chance. The match changed after the interval when Michael Olise moved centrally, dictating play and supplying the pass for Mbappé’s opener on 66 minutes. Barcola then struck late before Ibrahim Mbaye briefly revived Senegalese hopes in stoppage time. Mbappé responded immediately, firing a long‑range effort to secure victory and become France’s record scorer with 58 goals. The win positions France strongly in Group I ahead of matches against Iraq and Norway as Deschamps begins his final tournament.