France’s Kylian Mbappe celebrates after scoring the opening goal of his team in the course of the World Cup Group I soccer match between France and Senegal in East Rutherford, N.J., near Latest York, Tuesday, June 16, 2026. (AP Photo/Frank Franklin II)
EAST RUTHERFORD, Latest Jersey — After a flat first half, Kylian Mbappé got France back in tune.
Mbappé scored twice to maneuver past Pelé with 14 World Cup goals, celebrating by mimicking a flutist as he had promised, and Les Bleus beat Senegal 3-1 Tuesday of their World Cup opener.
“He could have scored 4 or five goals, OK, theoretically, but we’re pleased with two goals,” France coach Didier Deschamps said.
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Mbappé had 14 touches within the scoreless first half, the fewest of any player, then put France ahead within the 66th minute. He burst past Senegal captain Kalidou Koulibaly, turned onto a diagonal pass from Michael Olise and slid the ball past goalkeeper Édouard Mendy from just outside the 6-yard box.
In a segment with Mbappé taped May 20 and aired Friday by U.S. broadcaster Fox, award-winning actor and tv host James Corden suggested the 27-year-old star striker rejoice his next World Cup goal by imitating a flute player. Mbappé practiced the instrument for a yr or two as a baby on the behest of his parents.
“I’ll do it for you first game,” Mbappé said.
Mbappé ran toward a corner, brought each hands to his lips and air-tooted for a couple of seconds.
“If he desires to miss the primary half again and rating two goals within the second half in one other match, that’s OK with me,” Deschamps said.
Bradley Barcola doubled the lead within the 82nd, two minutes after entering, and Ibrahim Mbaye cut the deficit within the fifth minute of stoppage time. Mbappé scored just 68 seconds afterward a spectacular right-footed shot from 30 yards. The ball dipped perfectly between Mendy’s outstretched left arm and the crossbar.
“A crazy goal,” French defender William Saliba said.
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Mbappé, who led the 2022 tournament with eight goals, moved one ahead of Lionel Messi and fellow Frenchman Just Fontaine on the World Cup profession scoring list before Messi scored his 14th, fifteenth and sixteenth for Argentina later Tuesday. Mbappé is tied with Germany’s Gerd Müller, trailing Messi, Germany’s Miroslav Klose (16) and Brazil’s Ronaldo (15).
“I’m sure that he’ll do it,” Saliba said of Mbappé setting the record.
Mbappé also became France’s profession scoring leader with 58 goals, yet one more than Olivier Giroud.
“He can every now and then miss a game or two but on one motion he really is capable of tip the scales and produce his team to victory,” Deschamps said. “People say he doesn’t defend enough. Well, he’s not here to defend.”
Mbappé brushed off critics.
“It’s not about revenge,” he said. “If I began playing for all of the individuals who criticize me simply to silence them, I’d need to play until I used to be 80.”
Trying to achieve its third straight World Cup final, France plays Iraq on Monday in Philadelphia, then closes Group I on June 26 against Norway at Foxborough, Massachusetts. Senegal meets Norway on Monday at MetLife Stadium and finishes the primary round against Iraq at Toronto.
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With fans in Senegal denied visas by the U.S. government, supporters of the Lions of Teranga appeared limited to a couple of sections in MetLife’s southwest corner on a sunny 77-degree Fahrenheit (25-degree Celsius) afternoon.
While a lot of the stadium was crammed with a just-under sellout crowed of 80,545, there have been empty seats in a mezzanine club level, which has air-conditioned suites behind the outdoor chairs.
Two hours before kickoff, tickets dropped to as little as $69 on FIFA’s resale site. FIFA sold tickets at $220-$620 in December.
France was outshot 5-1 in the primary half. Senegal striker Nicolas Jackson’s Twenty fifth-minute shot hit a post, rebounded off the heel of goalkeeper Mike Maignan and bounced into touch.
Les Bleus then outshot their opponents 10-1 within the second half, when Olise shifted centrally from the proper flank.
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“If we had been more efficient, by halftime, we might have been capable of lead 1- or 2-nil,” Senegal coach Pape Thiaw said.