Mbappé breaks France scoring record as Les Bleus survive slow start to stun Senegal 3-1

Kylian Mbappé scored twice and broke the all-time France scoring record as Les Bleus turned a flat first half into a commanding 3-1 victory over Senegal in their 2026 FIFA World Cup opener on Tuesday.

France managed just one shot on goal in the opening 45 minutes and lost the expected goals battle to Senegal 0.44 to 0.02 — but the second half told an entirely different story. Mbappé opened the scoring in the 66th minute, finishing after a slaloming assist from Michael Olise, before Bradley Barcola — on the pitch for just two minutes — added a second in the 82nd. Mbappé then sealed the win with a strike that set the French federation’s all-time goals record, moving him level third in men’s World Cup scoring history and just two goals behind Miroslav Klose’s all-time mark.

France finished the match with 10 shots to Senegal’s one, eight of which were on target, and dominated the expected goals count 1.87 to 0.06 across the full 90 minutes.

Zlatan Ibrahimović, speaking after the final whistle, pushed back firmly against suggestions that France had been complacent in the first half. “Ignorant people will say it’s arrogance,” he said. “Intelligent people will say it’s confidence.”

“But to speak about the collective, this is the French team we are speaking about,” Ibrahimović added. “When they change gears, there are not many nations that can play against France. When they change a gear, nobody can catch them.”

Manager Didier Deschamps drew praise for his halftime tactical adjustments, most notably shifting Olise into the number 10 role — a move that helped unlock the Senegal defence and ignited France’s three-goal burst across the final 25 minutes and stoppage time.

Ibrahimović reserved particular admiration for Mbappé’s record-breaking second goal. “It was a magic moment for Mbappé,” he said. “The second goal was amazing. But even the first one — the play by Olise passing the ball through three or four players and putting Mbappé free against the goal with a good finish. He’s been scoring goals every game he’s been playing.”

The result keeps France on course to reach the World Cup final for a third consecutive tournament.