France’s Kylian Mbappe celebrates after scoring third goal during the World Cup Group I soccer match between France and Senegal in East Rutherford, N.J., near New York, Tuesday, June 16, 2026.
| Photo Credit: AP
Kylian Mbappé scored twice to move past Pelé and Lionel Messi with 14 World Cup goals, Bradley Barcola added another and France rebounded from a surprisingly poor first half to beat Senegal 3-1 on Tuesday (June 16, 2026).
Mbappé had 14 touches in the scoreless first half, the fewest of any player, then showed his brilliance when he put Les Bleus ahead in the 66th minute. After Jules Kounde and Michael Olise twice exchanged passes on the right flank, Olise made a diagonal pass as Mbappé burst past Senegal captain Kalidou Koulibaly.
Mbappé turned onto the ball just outside the 6-yard box and slid it past Édouard Mendy and inside the far post.
Barcola entered in the 80th and scored two minutes later when he ran onto a through ball from Adrien Rabiot, took a touch and lifted the ball past Mendy for his fourth international goal.
Ibrahim Mbaye scored on an angled shot for Senegal five minutes into stoppage time. Mbappé then had a spectacular long-range goal a minute later, over Mendy’s outstretched arm and just under the crossbar.
Mbappé moved one ahead of Messi and Just Fontaine on the World Cup career scoring list and is tied with Gerd Müller, trailing only Brazil’s Ronaldo (15) and Germany’s Miroslav Klose (16). Mbappé also set a French record with 58 international goals, one more than Olivier Giroud.
Trying to reach its third straight World Cup final, France plays Iraq on Monday in Philadelphia, then closes Group I on June 26 against Norway at Foxborough, Massachusetts. Senegal meets Norway on Monday at MetLife and finishes the first round against Iraq at Toronto.
Published – June 17, 2026 02:55 am IST
