Kylian Mbappé Scores Twice as France Beat Senegal 3-1 in World Cup Opener

Kylian Mbappé scored twice as France opened their World Cup campaign with a 3-1 win over Senegal at New York New Jersey Stadium on Tuesday, with the brace moving him past Olivier Giroud’s France record.

“CaptainKylian Mbappe⁠became France's ⁠all-time leading scorer with a double ⁠againstSenegalon Tuesday, beating the mark of 57 goals held by Olivier ⁠Giroud”

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Mbappé’s first goal came in the 66th minute and his second arrived in second-half stoppage time, taking him to 58 international goals and making him France’s all-time leading scorer.

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France’s captain reached 14 career World Cup goals with the two-goal performance, and the match also featured Bradley Barcola scoring in the 79th minute to extend the lead.

In the same game, Ibrahim Mbaye scored a consolation for Senegal, while Mbappé’s late strike from 30 yards sealed the win deep into stoppage time.

France’s coach Didier Deschamps said, "We had a bit of apprehension and tightness at the start. (...) It’s always good to win the first match."

France’s first half was described as a tactical battle, but the match “came to life after the break” as Mbappé’s second-half efficiency helped Didier Deschamps’ side rally.

FotMob’s match account said Mbappé scored his 13th World Cup goal after racing onto Olise’s low throughball, and it also noted a penalty appeal that referee Alireza Faghani turned into a goal-kick after a trip to the monitor.

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In the same narrative, Senegal’s best chance before halftime came when Sadio Mané’s low pullback was met by Ismaila Sarr, who “blazed over the crossbar.”

After the record was secured, Mbappé told M6, "Everyone talks to me about Klose's record," and he added that he found it “pretty surreal” to imagine being the top scorer in World Cup history.

ESPN’s recap also highlighted Mbappé’s late finish, describing his stoppage-time shot as “a shot into the top corner from 30 yards.”

With the opening victory, France took the lead in Group I with three points while awaiting the Norway–Iraq match later that night, and the next France game was set against Iraq.

“Kylian Mbappémoved ahead ofLionel Messiin the all-time World Cup scoring charts and becameFrance's record goalscorer with two goals in Les Bleus' 3-1 Group I win againstSenegalin East Rutherford, New Jersey”

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France’s tournament path was framed as a push for a third World Cup crown, with Mbappé’s record-setting night described as part of the bid to “ease into the last 32” and then build toward the knockout stage.

The Le Monde.fr report said Mbappé dethroned Olivier Giroud on Tuesday, June 16, becoming the all-time leading scorer for the national team with 58 goals, and it noted the gap in caps between Mbappé and Giroud.

Mbappé also said his priority was to win the World Cup and “bring home a third star,” while he described Klose’s record as something that had felt “unreal” after just two World Cups.

Looking ahead, France would face Iraq in Philadelphia on Monday, May 22, with the sources tying the record night to the immediate stakes of securing qualification for the knockout stage.