France Exorcises 2002 Demons with Thrilling Victory Over Senegal

France accomplished on Tuesday at MetLife Stadium what Spain, Brazil and the Netherlands all failed to do at this World Cup—claim victory in their opening match.

The 3–1 victory over Senegal isn't the most commanding scoreline from the first round of group-stage games so far, an honor that belongs to Germany (7–1), followed by Sweden (5–1) and the United States (4–1). But it gives French supporters plenty to feel positive about overall, particularly given the slow opening period.

Back in 2002, this fixture produced one of the greatest World Cup upsets of all time.

Senegal was making its debut on the global stage at that point, emerging from an African scene that had been dominated throughout the 1990s by Cameroon and Nigeria. France, meanwhile, was the reigning world and European champion following back-to-back tournament victories since 1998. It was, without question, a colossal mismatch that, on paper, should only have gone one way.

Except, it didn't.

Current Senegal head coach Pape Thiaw was watching from the dugout that day in Seoul, South Korea, a reserve player with a ringside view as Papa Bouba Diop scored the most improbable winning goal. Diop sadly passed away in 2020 at just 42 years old, but his place in World Cup folklore is forever secured.

Didier Deschamps wasn't involved, having stepped away from international football immediately after Euro 2000. Nevertheless, many of his former teammates were part of that squad, and France's manager hoped for a "different story" in 2026.

At times, it appeared he wasn't going to get his wish. Senegal, certainly no longer such a heavy underdog at a fourth World Cup appearance, was threatening and never truly out of contention.

Nicolas Jackson Steps Up

Nicolas Jackson had plenty to prove heading into the World Cup. Having been deemed expendable by Chelsea last summer—with persistent disciplinary issues impossible to overlook—his loan spell at Bayern Munich subsequently failed to impress, before a red card in Senegal's final pre-tournament friendly.

The 24-year-old played with the explosive directness that makes him such an intriguing prospect in the first place. Midway through the opening half, a surging run nearly handed Senegal a stunning lead, as Jackson's effort rebounded off the base of the near post. The ball then deflected off the leg of diving France goalkeeper Mike Maignan and only narrowly avoided crossing the line.

At a comparable moment in the second half, Jackson fired the ball beyond Maignan's reach into the net. It came right after France had taken the lead and would have dramatically altered how the final quarter of the match unfolded—an offside flag ruled the goal out.

Jackson wasn't the only threat. Late in the first half, Ismaïla Sarr squandered the best opportunity of the match to that point, while the Lions of Teranga registered only five fewer touches in the opposition box than France. Teenage substitute Ibrahim Mbaye then pulled France's lead back to 2–1 in stoppage time, threatening a nervy conclusion for Les Bleus before Kylian Mbappé stepped in.

France's Game of Two Halves

When France finally came alive in the second half, Senegal did its best to keep up, but that ultimately proved too tall an order.

Mbappé was underwhelming until the break. The Real Madrid star struggled to leave his mark on the game, and nothing appeared to be clicking—repeated dribble attempts resulted only in possession losses, and he was too easily brushed aside in individual battles.

As a collective, France lacked energy, tempo and intensity. Expected goals (xG) at halftime stood at just 0.02, compared to Senegal's 0.44. There had been only one shot, which missed the target, and three touches of the ball in the opposition box. The second half told an entirely different story.

Whatever Deschamps communicated behind closed doors at halftime clearly had the desired effect.

It began with sharper passing and quicker movement from Désiré Doué and Michael Olise, and soon spread to Mbappé as well. Olise's perfectly weighted pass, reading the match a step ahead of the Senegal backline, allowed him to thread the ball into the space his teammate was already moving into, followed by a clinical first-time finish from Mbappé to draw level with Olivier Giroud's all-time France scoring record.

Bradley Barcola, a player seemingly auditioning for his club future after reportedly growing restless in a supporting role at Paris Saint-Germain, doubled the advantage shortly after coming on. Although Mbaye's strike for Senegal briefly raised concerns, Mbappé—by now brimming with confidence—went on to surpass Giroud's record with his second of the evening to restore the two-goal buffer, extinguish any potential comeback and secure all three points.

If France continues to perform at that level in upcoming group fixtures against Iraq and Norway, and then deep into the knockout stages, a third World Cup crown is very much attainable. But the France of the opening 45 minutes will fall well short of that ambition.