Kylian Mbappe silenced his critics and lit up the FIFA World Cup 2026 with a brilliant second-half brace as France defeated Senegal 3-1 in their tournament opener on Tuesday night.
The Real Madrid forward had endured a frustrating first 45 minutes, his touch deserting him in the final third — but what followed after the break was a reminder of exactly why he remains the most feared player on the planet at a World Cup.
A tale of two halves
France were fortunate to head into the interval level. Senegal matched them throughout an opening half that offered little from Didier Deschamps' side beyond flashes of individual brilliance. The hosts had reason to feel aggrieved, too — a challenge by Sadio Mane on Mbappe that many felt warranted a penalty went unpunished.
Rather than dwell on the decision, Mbappe responded in the most emphatic fashion. Five minutes after the incident, he broke the deadlock with a composed, first-time finish on the turn, catching the goalkeeper off-balance as the angle closed. It was efficient and clinical — and it was only the beginning.
The moment that announced his tournament
When Ibrahim Mbaye thundered in a stoppage-time strike to pull one back for Senegal and threaten a late twist, Mbappe had the final say. From fully 35 yards, he struck a thunderous effort into the top-left corner — a goal carrying an xG of just 0.02, meaning he had a mere 2 percent chance of scoring. It drew inevitable comparisons to Cristiano Ronaldo's famous long-range effort for Manchester United against Porto in 2009.
The second goal did more than seal three points. It lifted Mbappe above Olivier Giroud as France's all-time leading scorer, taking his tally to 58 international goals. It also moved him to within two goals of Miroslav Klose's all-time World Cup record of 16.
Ousmane Dembele and Michael Olise, Ballon d'Or winner and exciting young talent respectively, unselfishly shaped their performances around Mbappe — a mark of the esteem in which he is held even within an exceptionally talented squad.
Rooney: 'An absolute superstar'
Wayne Rooney, speaking on BBC Sport after the final whistle, was unequivocal in his admiration.
