Mbappé Breaks Pelé's Record
Kylian Mbappé Scores Twice, Passes Pelé's Record as France Beats Senegal 3-1 at World Cup
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Kylian Mbappé scored twice in the second half to lift France past Senegal 3-1 in their 2026 World Cup opener at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey. The goals moved Mbappé past Pelé to 14 World Cup goals all-time — and put him just two behind Miroslav Klose's all-time record of 16, according to FOX Sports.
France looked flat and outplayed for most of the first half, getting outshot 5-1 by Senegal. Then Mbappé took over. He scored in the 66th minute, Bradley Barcola added a second two minutes after coming off the bench, and Mbappé sealed it with a thunderbolt from 30 yards in the 90th minute, per The Associated Press.
Mbappé Breaks Records After Invisible First Half
The France captain had just 14 touches in the entire first half — the fewest of any player on the pitch, according to The Associated Press. But he came alive after the break. In the 66th minute, Michael Olise played a diagonal pass across the box and Mbappé slid it past goalkeeper Edouard Mendy to open the scoring.
Mbappé's second goal was even more spectacular. Just 68 seconds after Senegal pulled one back to make it 2-1, he launched a 30-yard thunderbolt to seal the win, per FIFA. The brace pushed him to 58 international goals for France, surpassing Olivier Giroud's national record of 57. Giroud, now a commentator, congratulated Mbappé live on air, according to Al Jazeera.
Barcola's Two-Minute Impact Changes the Game
Bradley Barcola came on as a substitute in the 80th minute. Just two minutes later, he scored his first-ever World Cup goal, assisted by Adrien Rabiot to make it 2-0, according to The Indian Express. It was the kind of instant contribution coaches dream about from a sub.
France coach Didier Deschamps was relieved but candid about the rough start. "He could have scored four or five goals, OK, theoretically, but we're happy with two," Deschamps said of Mbappé, per The Associated Press. "If he wants to miss the first half again and score two goals in the second half... that's OK with me."
Senegal's Brave Fight and a Controversial Backstory
Senegal was not simply outclassed. Nicolas Jackson hit the post in the 25th minute and later had a goal ruled out for offside. Eighteen-year-old Ibrahim Mbaye scored an angled shot in the 90th minute to briefly make it 2-1 and give the African side hope, according to Al Jazeera.
Senegal arrived at this tournament under a cloud. They won the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations on the pitch but were stripped of the title by CAF after a team walk-off protest during the final. Coach Pape Thiaw still calls his side "Africa's Champions" and said before the match, "It would not be a surprise if we beat France," per Morocco World News. Senegal is appealing the CAF ruling to the Court of Arbitration for Sport.
France's Road Ahead and Mbappé's Record Chase
France tops Group I with 3 points after the win. They face Iraq on June 22 in Philadelphia and Norway on June 26 in Boston, according to FOX Sports. The 2002 World Cup saw Senegal stun France 1-0 in the opening game. There was no repeat this time.
Mbappé is now two goals away from Klose's all-time World Cup record of 16. He has passed Pelé (12), Lionel Messi (13), and Just Fontaine (13) on the all-time list, per FOX Sports. Mbappé said after the match, "Always important to start with a win. It will be a long road," according to Al Jazeera. With two games left in the group stage, analysts expect him to break the record before the knockout rounds.
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