By RONALD BLUMWednesday June 17, 2026
Kylian Mbappé needed only one half to turn a sluggish France start into a statement win.
After a quiet opening 45 minutes, Mbappé struck twice, moved ahead of Pelé on the World Cup goals chart with 14, and capped his night by pantomiming a flute player in the celebration he had already promised. France beat Senegal 3-1 Tuesday in its World Cup opener.
“He could have scored four or five goals, OK, theoretically, but we’re happy with two goals,” France coach Didier Deschamps said.
Mbappé had just 14 touches in a scoreless first half, the fewest of any player on the field, but he changed the match in the 66th minute. He raced beyond Senegal captain Kalidou Koulibaly, latched 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 taped with Mbappé on May 20 and broadcast Friday by U.S. broadcaster Fox, award-winning actor and television host James Corden floated the idea that the 27-year-old striker celebrate his next World Cup goal by pretending to play a flute. Mbappé said he had learned the instrument for a year or two as a child at his parents’ request.
“I’ll do it for you first game,” Mbappé said.
When the moment arrived, Mbappé sprinted to the corner, lifted both hands to his mouth and made a brief air-flute gesture.
“If he wants to miss the first half again and score two goals in the second half in another match, that’s OK with me,” Deschamps said.
Bradley Barcola added France’s second goal in the 82nd minute, just two minutes after coming on, before Ibrahim Mbaye pulled one back in the fifth minute of stoppage time. Mbappé then responded 68 seconds later with a stunning right-footed drive from 30 yards that dipped neatly between Mendy’s outstretched left arm and the crossbar.
“A crazy goal,” French defender William Saliba said.
Mbappé, who led the 2022 tournament with eight goals, edged ahead of Lionel Messi and fellow Frenchman Just Fontaine on the World Cup career scoring list before Messi later climbed to 14, 15 and 16 for Argentina on Tuesday. Mbappé is now tied with Germany’s Gerd Müller and trails Messi, Germany’s Miroslav Klose (16) and Brazil’s Ronaldo (15).
“I’m sure that he will do it,” Saliba said of Mbappé breaking the record.
Mbappé also moved to the top of France’s all-time scoring list with 58 goals, one more than Olivier Giroud.
“He can from time to time miss a game or two but on one action he really is able to tip the scales and bring his team to victory,” Deschamps said. “People say he doesn’t defend enough. Well, he’s not here to defend.”
Mbappé dismissed the criticism.
“It’s not about revenge,” he said. “If I started playing for all the people who criticize me just to silence them, I’d have to play until I was 80.”
France, which is seeking a third consecutive World Cup final, plays Iraq on Monday in Philadelphia and then closes Group I on June 26 against Norway at Foxborough, Massachusetts. Senegal faces Norway on Monday at MetLife Stadium before finishing the first round against Iraq at Toronto.
With Senegal supporters barred from traveling by the U.S. government, the Lions of Teranga appeared to have only a few pockets of fans in the southwest corner of MetLife Stadium on a sunny afternoon with temperatures around 77 degrees Fahrenheit (25 degrees Celsius).
Although the crowd of 80,545 was just shy of a sellout, empty seats were visible in a mezzanine club level behind the stadium’s outdoor chairs and air-conditioned suites.
Two hours before kickoff, tickets on FIFA’s resale site had fallen to as little as $69. FIFA had originally sold them in December for $220 to $620.
France was outshot 5-1 in the first half. Senegal striker Nicolas Jackson hit the post in the 25th minute, then watched the ball ricochet off goalkeeper Mike Maignan’s heel and out of play.
Les Bleus controlled the second half, outshooting Senegal 10-1 after Olise drifted into a central role from the right wing.
“If we had been more efficient, by halftime, we would have been able to lead 1- or 2-nil,” Senegal coach Pape Thiaw said.
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AP Sports Writer Stephen Whyno contributed to this report.
