© IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters

FranceFRA

France
SenegalSEN

Senegal

World Cup 2026

France is one of the favorites for the world title. The 1998 and 2018 world champion will play the first group match tonight, in New York against Senegal. Follow our live blog here.

Minne Groenstege

Sports editor

liveblog

Most goals in World Cups

Kylian Mbappé became top scorer of the 2022 World Cup in Qatar with eight goals, three of which came in the final. He also scored four times at the 2018 World Cup in Russia, including one in the final against Croatiaia (4-2) in Moscow.

Mbappé needs a goal tonight to become France’s all-time top scorer, but is also the all-time top scorer at the World Cup with four goals. The Real Madrid striker turned 27 in December.

1. Miroslav Klose – 16 goals for Germany
2. Ronaldo – 15 goals for Brazilia
3. Gerd Müller – 14 goals for West Germany
4. Just Fontaine – 13 goals for France
5. Lionel Messi – 13 goals for Argentina
6.
Pelé – 12 goals for Brazil
7. Kylian Mbappé – 12 goals for France

A stunt like the one at the 2002 World Cup?

The only match that France and Senegal ever played against each other was at the 2002 World Cup. It was the opening match in Seoul. Senegal then surprisingly won 1-0 against the reigning world champions through a goal from the midfielder Papa Bouba Diop in the 30th minute.

Diop died on November 29, 2020 in Paris, at the age of only 42. He had already been struggling with ALS for several years.

© Getty Images

Rayan Cherki on the bench for France

Rayan Cherki will soon start on the bench for France. The 22-year-old playmaker from Lyon has had a strong first year in England at Manchester City, where he scored 10 goals and 12 assists in 52 games.

Before that, he played 185 games for Olympique Lyon, scoring 29 goals and providing 46 assists.

He scored two goals in his first seven international matches for the French national team.

Rayan Cherki and Didier Deschamps.
Rayan Cherki and Didier Deschamps. © IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters

Reviled in Madrid, loved in France: after a turbulent year, the World Cup could be liberating for Kylian Mbappé

Kylian Mbappé: child prodigy, superstar, the intended figurehead of the football era after Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo. But at Real Madrid he is increasingly being labeled as a disruptor, or even as a ‘dictator’. Where does this turnaround come from? And will the ‘real’ Mbappé rise again in France?

Setup Senegal

Edouard Mendy; Diatta, Koulibaly, Niakhate, Diouf; Gana Gueye, Pape Gueye, Camara; Ismaïla Sarr, Jackson, Sadio Mane


France setup

Maignan; Koundé, Upamecano, Saliba, Theo Hernández; Tchouameni, Rabiot; Olise, Dembélé, Doué; Mbappe


Two hours until kick-off

Two hours until kickoff at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey. The fans of France and Senegal had a great party in Times Square in the run-up to the match.

The great match was held in this stadium Brazil and Morocco (1-1) already played. Senegal – Norway, Germany – Ecuador and England – Panama are also still on the program here. The sixteenth finals, the eighth finals and finally the World Cup finals on Sunday 19 July will also be played here.



MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey.
MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey. © AFP

France’s all-time top scorers

Kylian Mbappé can become France’s all-time top scorer tonight. If he makes one he will be on par with Olivier Giroud, if he makes two the record is all his. He will play his hundredth international match against Iraq next Monday (10 p.m.) in Philadelphia.

1. Olivier Giroud – 57 goals in 137 international matches
2. Kylian Mbappé – 56 goals in 98 international matches
3. Thierry Henry – 51 goals in 123 international matches
4. Antoine Griezmann – 44 goals in 137 international matches
5. Michel Platini – 41 goals in 72 international matches
6. Karim Benzema – 37 goals in 97 international matches
7. David Trezeguet – 34 goals in 71 international matches
8. Zinedine Zidane – 31 goals in 108 international matches

© AFP

Ten players from Senegal born in France

Of the 1,248 players at the 2026 World Cup, 98 were born in France. Of these, 22 are in the selection of France, but also 76 are in the selections of other countries.

This is where Senegal’s players come from
Born in France: 10
Born in Senegal: 15, of which eight in the capital Dakar
Born in Germany: 1, left back Ismail Jacobs

There are also 67 players at the World Cup who were born in the Netherlands. In the selection of Curaçao, 25 players were born in the Netherlands.

Didier Deschamps starts the last final tournament

Didier Deschamps starts his last final tournament as France coach tonight. The 57-year-old coach from Bayonne was active as a club football coach at AS Monaco, Juventus and Olympique Marseille from 2001 to 2012.

The captain of France who won the 1998 World Cup then succeeded Laurent Blanc as national coach of Les Bleus in 2012. His results at final tournaments at a glance.

2014 World Cup: quarter-finals, lost 1-0 to Germany
European Championship 2016: losing finalist, lost 1-0 to Portugal
World Cup 2018: world champion, 4-2 in the final against Croatia
European Championship 2021: eighth finals, lost to Switzerland on penalties
World Cup 2022: losing finalist, final lost on penalties to Argentina
European Championship 2024: semi-finals, lost 2-1 to Spain

Deschamps is the national coach of France after 179 international matches at 115 wins, 25 draws and 29 defeats. The French federation has still not confirmed anything, but his former teammate Zinedine Zidane will succeed him after the World Cup.

Didier Deschamps.
Didier Deschamps. © IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters

New AD Football Podcast

The AD Football podcast is being made today between large groups of Argentinians. They have come en masse to Kansas City to see the world champions in their opening match next night (3am) against Algeria. Anis Hadj Moussa will therefore compete against Lionel Messi.

This also raises the question of who will become the real superstar of this World Cup? Who will be Messi and Ronaldo’s successor? Is Lamine Yamal ready yet or will it be a surprise? In addition, Etienne Verhoeff and Mikos Gouka discuss the boredom for the football players if they are on the road for a longer period of time in a tournament.

Senegal defeated France in 2002

The only match that France and Senegal ever played against each other was at the 2002 World Cup. It was the opening match in Seoul. Senegal then surprisingly won 1-0 against the reigning world champions through a goal by midfielder Papa Bouba Diop in the 30th minute.

Diop died on November 29, 2020 in Paris, at the age of only 42. He had already been struggling with ALS for several years.


Senegal's team photo before the match against France in 2002.
Senegal’s team photo before the match against France in 2002. © Getty Images
El Hadji Diouf passes Marcel Desailly.
El Hadji Diouf passes Marcel Desailly. © Getty Images
Papa Bouba Diop slips past Bixente Lizarazu.
Papa Bouba Diop slips past Bixente Lizarazu. © Getty Images

Last trick of success coach with star ensemble

France starts tonight as one of the big favorites in the Football World Cup. The star ensemble is led one more time by Didier Deschampswho took Les Bleus to the world title in 2018. The biggest challenge: keeping all the frogs in the wheelbarrow.

Reviled in Madrid, loved in France: after a turbulent year, the World Cup could be liberating for Kylian Mbappé

Kylian Mbappé: child prodigy, superstar, the intended figurehead of the football era after Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo. But at Real Madrid he is increasingly being labeled as a disruptor, or even as a ‘dictator’. Where does this turnaround come from? And will the ‘real’ Mbappé rise again in France?

© IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters

Good afternoon

Good afternoon and welcome to our France – Senegal live blog. The first match in Group I starts at 9 p.m. at the MetLife Stadium in New Jersey, where France hopes to return for their third World Cup final in a row on Sunday, July 19.

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