Mbappé scores twice in second half to fire France past Senegal in World Cup opener

Kylian Mbappé rescued France with a decisive brace in the second half as Les Bleus opened their 2026 World Cup campaign with a 3-1 win over Senegal on Tuesday, with the striker netting in the 66th minute and then again in the sixth minute of stoppage time to seal the result.

The goals were all the more remarkable for how little Mbappé had contributed before the break. He registered just one touch in Senegal’s half during the entire first half and did not manage a single shot. Everything changed after the interval: he attempted five shots on goal in the second half alone — more than the entire Senegal team managed across 90 minutes (three).

The stoppage-time winner arrived in dramatic circumstances. Senegal forward Ibrahim Mbaye had pulled his side level in the fifth minute of added time, only for Mbappé to respond just 67 seconds later to restore France’s advantage and put the game beyond doubt.

The two goals carried significant statistical weight. Mbappé now has 14 World Cup goals across the 2018, 2022 and 2026 tournaments, drawing level with West Germany’s Gerd Müller for third on the all-time men’s World Cup scoring list. Only Miroslav Klose (16 for Germany) and Ronaldo (15 for Brazil) sit ahead of him.

At international level, the goals also pushed Mbappé to 58 career goals for France, surpassing Olivier Giroud to become the country’s all-time leading scorer in international football.

His five shots on goal in the second half accounted for 55.5 percent of France’s total shots on goal for the match, underlining how completely the game’s momentum shifted through him after the break. Across his last nine World Cup matches, Mbappé has now scored 11 goals — a rate that puts him on a trajectory to challenge the records at the very top of the all-time list before the tournament is out.