Michael Olise emerged as the standout performer in France's 3-1 victory over Senegal in their World Cup opener, topping BBC Sport's player ratings despite Kylian Mbappe stealing the spotlight with a match-winning brace.

Olise earned a score of 8.01 out of 10 from BBC Sport users, placing him above Bradley Barcola (7.99) and Mbappe (7.27), who finished third in the rankings. The result confirmed Mbappe as France's all-time leading scorer — a record milestone achieved through his two goals on the night.

A tactical shift that changed the game

Olise's influence grew considerably after Didier Deschamps repositioned him from the right wing to a more central role at half-time. That adjustment proved decisive — he provided the assist for Mbappe's opening goal, helping France take control of the contest.

Former France forward Olivier Giroud praised the move on BBC One, highlighting the chemistry it unlocked between Olise and Mbappe. "By re-adjusting Olise's position to a more central one and closer to Mbappe, we can see the good understanding that they can have," Giroud said.

"The freedom Olise can have in that position playing higher up the pitch, [and Ousmane] Dembele can do the job on the side one v one, so [that means] Deschamps has a lot of options."

The tactical flexibility on display against Senegal suggests Deschamps has several attacking combinations at his disposal as the tournament progresses.