Kylian Mbappé climbed the World Cup career scoring list and set a new record as France‘s all-time top scorer, netting two goals during Les Bleus‘ 3-1 victory over Senegal in East Rutherford, New Jersey, on Tuesday.
France, considered one of the tournament favorites after winning in 2018 and reaching the final in 2022, found themselves held by Senegal in the first half. However, a brilliant pass from Michael Olise set up Mbappé shortly after the hour mark, and the Real Madrid forward made no mistake with his opportunity.
Paris Saint-Germain‘s Bradley Barcola then added a second goal in the 79th minute, delicately chipping the ball over Senegal’s Édouard Mendy shortly after coming off the bench. Ibrahim Mbaye managed a consolation goal for Senegal, but Mbappé saved the best for last with a stunning strike.
In the dying moments of stoppage time, he weaved through defenders and unleashed a powerful shot from 30 yards into the top corner.
At just 27, Mbappé’s two goals brought his World Cup tally to 14, matching West Germany’s Gerd Muller and placing him third in the all-time rankings, behind Germany’s Miroslav Klose and Argentina’s Lionel Messi, both of whom have 16 goals. Messi also secured his tally with a hat trick against Algeria later that day. Brazil’s Ronaldo sits in fourth with 15.
Before this match, Mbappé was already tied for sixth in the rankings with Brazil’s Pelé, both holding 12 goals.
By scoring twice, Mbappé surpassed former Arsenal, Chelsea, and AC Milan striker Olivier Giroud as the leading scorer for France with a total of 58 goals.
Notably, Mbappé has now scored in three consecutive World Cups. He made history as only the second player ever, alongside England‘s Geoff Hurst in 1966, to earn a hat trick in a World Cup final, achieving this feat during the thrilling 3-3 match against Argentina four years ago.
“I’m thrilled to be able to contribute to the history of my country. That’s something I’ve always wanted,” Mbappé said. “But I’m here for a reason—I want to help the team and continue with my teammates to write a new chapter in the history of the French national team. We have a long journey ahead, but we’re ready for it.”
In a lackluster first half, Mbappé managed only 14 touches, the least of any player, as France faced a 5-1 shot disadvantage. A shot from Senegal’s striker Nicolas Jackson hit the post in the 25th minute and rebounded off the heel of goalkeeper Mike Maignan into touch.
In the second half, Les Bleus outshot their opponents 10-1 as Mbappé showcased his talents.
France coach Didier Deschamps expressed relief after the match, stating, “It’s always great to start with a win. While it’s not a definitive result, it’s a positive way to kick off the tournament.” Defender William Saliba agreed, acknowledging the team’s poor performance in the first half.
With fans from Senegal facing visa issues in the U.S., their supporters were confined to a few sections in MetLife Stadium. The stadium had just under a sellout crowd of 80,545, though some areas remained empty, including a club-level mezzanine.
Tickets saw a drop in price on FIFA’s resale site, going as low as $69 just two hours prior to kickoff after initial sales ranged from $220 to $620 in December.
As they aim for a third consecutive World Cup final, France will face Iraq on Monday in Philadelphia and finish Group I against Norway in Foxborough, Massachusetts. Senegal will take on Norway on Monday at MetLife Stadium and conclude their group stage against Iraq in Toronto.
Mbappé, who was named the Silver Ball winner as the tournament’s second-best player in 2022, scored 25 goals last season with Real Madrid.
“My goal is to make my country proud and lead my team to a World Cup victory,” he said. “There’s no motive for revenge against critics. If I played to silence my critics, I’d have to keep playing until I’m 80.”
Information from the Associated Press contributed to this report.