World Cup 2026: France Still Shows Worrying Weaknesses

At MetLife Stadium in New Jersey (USA), France entered the match with an attack considered among the strongest in the tournament, featuring Kylian Mbappé, Ousmane Dembélé, Michael Olise, and Désiré Doué. However, contrary to expectations, Didier Deschamps’ side started slowly, lacked creativity, and consistently dangerous creativity, and repeatedly struggled against Senegal’s disciplined defense.

Not only did Senegal withstand the pressure from the world champions, but they also created more dangerous opportunities in the first half. Nicolas Jackson hit the post in the 25th minute, and Ismaïla Sarr missed a golden chance just before the break.

The turning point came after halftime when Michael Olise began making an impact with sharp passes. In the 66th minute, the Bayern Munich midfielder assisted Mbappé to open the scoring, breaking a stalemate that had lasted over an hour. The goal relieved pressure on the French team, allowing them to play more freely. In the 82nd minute, Bradley Barcola—who replaced Dembélé—doubled the lead with an assist from Adrien Rabiot.

Senegal fought back strongly late in the match, pulling one back through Ibrahim Mbaye in the 90+5th minute to make it 1-2. However, just a minute later, Mbappé produced a world-class strike to complete his brace, securing a 3-1 victory for the blue-clad side. The two goals against Senegal brought Mbappé’s total for the French national team to 58, officially surpassing Olivier Giroud to become the all-time leading goalscorer in the country’s history.

In France, Mbappé’s performance quickly became the center of attention. Thousands of fans gathered at fan zones, cafes, and public viewing areas in Paris and other major cities to follow the match. Celebrations were lively, but public order was generally maintained, with no major incidents reported.

Despite a positive start, the performance against Senegal highlighted issues that France still need to address. The first half, lacking ideas and pace, served as a warning for Deschamps’ squad ahead of tougher challenges to come. Still, with Mbappé continuing to perform at an elite level and break records, there’s reason for French fans to believe the team remains a serious contender for the 2026 World Cup title. France’s next match will take place in Philadelphia, where they will face Iraq in their second group stage round two.