Mbappé’s belter steals show as fluid France see off late Senegal challenge
France defeated Senegal in a World Cup match following a strong second-half performance led by Kylian Mbappé. Mbappé scored two goals, becoming France's all-time leading scorer in the process.
Why it matters
The match is significant for sports history, marking a record-breaking achievement for a prominent global athlete during a major international tournament.
Kylian Mbappé immediately responds to Ibrahim Mbaye’s goal for Senegal, scoring late in stoppage time. Photograph: Dylan Martinez/Reuters View image in fullscreen Kylian Mbappé immediately responds to Ibrahim Mbaye’s goal for Senegal, scoring late in stoppage time. Photograph: Dylan Martinez/Reuters World Cup 2026 Mbappé’s belter steals show as fluid France see off late Senegal challenge Paul MacInnes at New York New Jersey Stadium Tue 16 Jun 2026 17.13 EDT Last modified on Tue 16 Jun 2026 21.30 EDT Share Prefer the Guardian on Google This was an ominous start from the World Cup favourites. A spluttering first-half performance gave way to a second period characterised by a combination of physical intensity and technical ability that few club sides, never mind nations, can match. Add on a record-breaking double for Kylian Mbappé and some superlative playmaking from Michael Olise and this was very much a job well done for Les Bleus .
The article is a standard sports recap focusing on match performance and player statistics without political or social commentary.
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