France launched their campaign for a third World Cup star with a victory that was as much a display of individual brilliance as it was a test of collective patience, eventually overpowering a disciplined Senegal side 3-1 at the MetLife Stadium. For 66 minutes, the match in East Rutherford evoked uncomfortable memories of the 2002 tournament opener in Seoul, where the Lions of Teranga famously stunned the then-defending champions. Senegal, marshalled by the veteran Kalidou Koulibaly, executed a compact defensive plan that largely neutralised France’s glittering attacking quartet in a goalless first half, during which Nicolas Jackson even struck the post for the African side.

The deadlock was broken by a moment of telepathic understanding between two of Europe’s finest talents. Michael Olise, deployed in a fluid attacking midfield role, threaded a diagonal pass that dissected the Senegalese backline, allowing Kylian Mbappé to escape his marker and slot a clinical finish past Édouard Mendy. The goal transformed the contest. Bradley Barcola, introduced from the bench, doubled the lead in the 82nd minute with a delicate chip, seemingly putting the result beyond doubt. Yet the drama was not finished: an 18-year-old substitute, Ibrahim Mbaye, pulled one back deep into stoppage time, only for Mbappé to extinguish any hope of a comeback with a thunderous long-range strike a minute later, completing his brace and sealing a 3-1 scoreline.

Viewed from the stands in New Jersey, the match represented a significant milestone in football history. Mbappé’s double lifted his World Cup tally to 14 goals, moving him past the legendary Pelé and drawing him level with Gerd Müller, leaving only Ronaldo (15) and Miroslav Klose (16) ahead of him in the all-time scoring charts. Simultaneously, his 58th goal for France eclipsed Olivier Giroud’s national record, cementing the 27-year-old’s status as the most prolific marksman in the history of Les Bleus. Analysts in Paris noted that while the team’s first-half performance was worryingly blunt, the capacity of their captain to decide a match with two flashes of genius remains the single most valuable asset in the tournament.

For Senegal, the defeat was a harsh lesson in the margins that define elite competition. African football observers pointed to a spirited performance that troubled the favourites for long periods, with Sadio Mané and Ismaïla Sarr carrying a persistent threat on the counter-attack. The late consolation goal from Mbaye, a teenager born in 2008, offered a glimpse of a promising future, but Pape Thiaw’s side now face a critical clash against Erling Haaland’s Norway knowing that another slip could prove fatal in a tightly balanced Group I.

Looking ahead, France assume early control of the group ahead of fixtures against Iraq and Norway, with the tantalising prospect of a potential round-of-16 collision with Germany already being sketched out by strategists in Berlin. While Didier Deschamps acknowledged his team is not yet at its fluent best, the capacity to win without playing well is a hallmark of champions. As the tournament shifts towards the debut of defending champions Argentina, the message from New Jersey was unmistakable: Mbappé’s France have arrived, and their talisman is already chasing down immortality.