2026 World Cup: the Blues win against Senegal, Mbappé breaks the record, Cherki comes into play
By OnzeActu · · 2 min read
The French team opened its 2026 World Cup with a 3-1 victory against Senegal. Kylian Mbappé stood out with a double, becoming the top scorer in the history of the Blues. Rayan Cherki took advantage of the last minutes to come into play.
The French team did not waver for its entry into Group I of the 2026 World Cup: Didier Deschamps' men won 3-1 against Senegal in New Jersey, in a meeting that was certainly lively and long uncertain.
Despite a complicated start to the match and a first period where the Senegalese could have opened the scoring – Nicolas Jackson finding the bar and Ismaïla Sarr missing the target from close range – the Blues were able to make the difference after the break. After seeing a penalty canceled by VAR, Kylian Mbappé finally gave France the advantage in the 66th minute with an unstoppable low strike. A few moments later, Bradley Barcola, who had just come on, added to the score with a subtle dive.
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The suspense remained intact until the final moments as young Ibrahim Mbaye, Paris Saint-Germain hopeful, reduced the gap for Senegal following a defensive error in added time, raising fears of a turnaround. But Mbappé, definitely a man of big events, extinguished all Senegalese hopes with a 30-meter missile, just a few seconds after the score was reduced. This monumental double allows the now Real Madrid striker to reach 58 goals for the national team and become the top scorer in the history of the France team, ahead of Olivier Giroud.
Finally, note the entry into play of Rayan Cherki, who participated in the last fourteen minutes of the match, in accordance with squad management mastered by Deschamps.
Final result: France 3-1 Senegal. Next meeting for the Blues, the continuation of their global adventure with the confidence of the leader and a record-breaking Mbappé.