France defeated Senegal 3-1 on Tuesday afternoon in their opening match of the 2026 FIFA World Cup [1].
The victory establishes France as an early contender in the tournament and marks a historic individual milestone for striker Kylian Mbappé.
The match took place in East Rutherford, New Jersey [2]. Mbappé scored two goals during the contest [3], leading France to the 3-1 victory [1]. With this brace, Mbappé reached 58 goals, making him the sole all-time leading goalscorer for France [4].
Mbappé also advanced his standing in World Cup history. He has now scored 14 World Cup career goals [5]. An Associated Press reporter said Mbappé scored twice to move past Pelé and Lionel Messi with 14 World Cup goals, celebrating by mimicking a flautist as he had promised.
Earlier in the match, the striker reached a different milestone. An Associated Press reporter said Kylian Mbappé has scored his 13th World Cup goal to break a tie with Pelé and move the France forward into a tie for the fourth most in tournament history.
France is now off to a strong start in the group stages. While sources differ on the specific group designation, citing either Group L [4] or Group I [1], the result secures three points for the French side in the U.S. tournament.
“Kylian Mbappé is now the sole all‑time leading goalscorer for France (58).”
Mbappé's ascent to France's all-time scoring record and his climb up the World Cup career goals list solidify his role as the focal point of the national team's offense. By surpassing icons like Pelé and Messi in total tournament goals, Mbappé is transitioning from a rising star to a historical benchmark for the sport.
