Kylian Mbappé becomes France's all-time top scorer with brace vs Senegal at FIFA World Cup 2026
(Courtesy : Getty)
Mbappe put Les Bleus ahead against Senegal after a tight first half in New Jersey.
France opened their FIFA World Cup 2026 campaign with a Group I fixture against Senegal at MetLife Stadium on June 16. After a cagey first half, which saw few clear-cut chances, talismanic forward Kylian Mbappe put the favourites ahead right after the hour mark.
It was a brilliant team goal from Les Bleus. After a period of dominance from the two-time champions, Michael Olise played a sublime pass to find Mbappe’s well-timed run. The Real Madrid forward pulled the trigger, finding the bottom corner past Edouard Mendy with his first-time effort.
The 66th-minute goal broke the deadlock in what had been a largely uneventful contest until then. However, Mbappe’s strike gave France the wind in their sails, and substitute Bradley Barcola doubled the lead in the 82nd minute with a terrific counterattack move.
Mbappe added another late on in the match to put the result beyond any scope of doubt. It was a glorious strike that will surely be a contender for the goal of the tournament. The attacker received the ball and fired a rocket shot on the turn from 30 yards out. The ball flew past Edouard Mendy and nestled into the top corner.
Also Read: Arsene Wenger, Patrick Vieira, Gareth Bale attend France vs Senegal FIFA World Cup 2026 match
Mbappe’s milestone goal
Other than inspiring Didier Deschamps’ men to a crucial victory, Mbappe’s brace was a historic one. It marked his 57th and 58th international goals in just 99 matches, moving him above Olivier Giroud as Les Bleus’ all-time top scorer. Interestingly, Giroud needed 137 caps to reach 57 goals.
France’s top five all-time goal-scorers
| Player | Goals | Caps |
| Kyllian Mbappe | 58 | 99 |
| Olivier Giroud | 57 | 137 |
| Thierry Henry | 51 | 123 |
| Antoine Griezmann | 44 | 137 |
| Michel Platini | 41 | 72 |
With France tipped to go deep in the contest, Mbappe will look to add to his international tally before the FIFA World Cup 2026 final on July 19. For now, he will focus on Les Bleus’ next match, which is against Iraq on June 22.
Who is France’s all‑time highest goalscorer?
Kylian Mbappe leads the charts with 58 goals in 99 caps, surpassing Olivier Giroud’s tally of 57.
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Sushruta has spent over two years covering football, with a particular focus on Indian and international competitions. Alongside football, he has reported on a variety of sports, bringing curiosity and perspective to every story. When he’s not following the action, he can usually be found binge-watching movies or getting lost in a good book.