Mbappe breaks France scoring marks in World Cup win over Senegal

Kylian Mbappe set new France scoring records as the defending World Cup contenders opened with a 3-1 win over Senegal, Al Jazeera reported. The 27-year-old scored twice on Tuesday, moving past Olivier Giroud as France’s all-time leading men’s scorer with 58 goals.

Mbappe also became France’s top scorer in World Cup play, reaching 14 goals and passing Just Fontaine’s total of 13, according to Al Jazeera. The report said he is the youngest player to reach 14 World Cup goals.

Giroud, who was working as a commentator for the Senegal match, congratulated Mbappe on air after the forward scored France’s third goal in the 96th minute, Al Jazeera reported. Mbappe later posted on Instagram: “Always important to start with a win. It will be a long road, but we are ready.”

How the win unfolded

Al Jazeera reported that France struggled before halftime but improved after the break. Mbappe opened the scoring in the 66th minute, moving through the penalty area to finish a pass from Michael Olise.

Bradley Barcola came off the bench to score France’s second goal late in the match, according to the report. Senegal answered in stoppage time through Ibrahim Mbaye before Mbappe struck from distance in the 96th minute to close the scoring.

The victory came in France’s first game of the tournament. Al Jazeera reported that France are due to face Iraq next week in Philadelphia.

Where Mbappe stands in World Cup history

Mbappe’s 14 World Cup goals leave him two behind Miroslav Klose’s tournament record, Al Jazeera reported. He is one behind Brazil’s Ronaldo, who scored 15, and has moved beyond Lionel Messi’s 13 World Cup goals.

The two goals against Senegal added to a World Cup record already built over three tournaments. Al Jazeera reported that Mbappe has now scored at three consecutive World Cups and is the only player to score at least twice in five different World Cup matches.

• France record: Mbappe reached 58 international goals, passing Olivier Giroud.
• France World Cup record: Mbappe reached 14 World Cup goals, passing Just Fontaine.
• Global mark in sight: Al Jazeera reported that he is two goals short of Miroslav Klose’s World Cup record.
• Multi-goal mark: He became the only player credited with two or more goals in five separate World Cup matches, according to Al Jazeera.

Earlier milestones

Mbappe’s World Cup rise began in 2018, when Al Jazeera reported he helped France win the tournament in Russia at age 19. His goal against Peru that year made him the youngest French player to score at a World Cup.

Al Jazeera reported that he also became the second teenager, after Pele, to score in a World Cup final. He received FIFA’s Young Player of the Year award and was named France’s player of the year, according to the same report.

France did not retain the title in 2022, losing the final to Argentina, but Mbappe scored a hat-trick. Al Jazeera reported that it was only the second hat-trick in a World Cup final, after Geoff Hurst’s for England against West Germany in 1966.

This story draws on original reporting from Al Jazeera.