France and Senegal delivered an instant World Cup classic in Group I, with FOUR second-half goals helping France edge out a thrilling 3-1 victory. Kylian Mbappé stole the show with 2 goals, while Bradley Barcola and Ibrahim Mbaye added stunning finishes in a match packed with drama from start to finish. With France kicking off their World Cup campaign in style, the question now is whether Didier Deschamps’ side has what it takes to reach a THIRD consecutive World Cup Final. Are Les Bleus the team to beat in 2026, or will another contender rise to the occasion? France vs. Senegal 3-1 Match Reaction.
00:00 Initial Reactions
00:30 Kylian Mbappé
02:45 Senegal Mistakes
04:00 1st Half vs. 2nd Half
04:50 Mbappé’s Performance
06:35 France’s Squad
08:20 World Cup Favorite
09:30 Michael Olise
11:35 Match Ratings
14:00 Tactical Approach
#soccer #football #reaction #worldcup #france #senegal
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That British guy is abit jarring isn’t he?? 🤔
He’s a phenom!!!! An extremely incredible player.
MBAPPE IS THE MAIN GUY AND THE MVP
1:19 how on earth do you think that should have been a penalty 😂😂😂
Now Messi has more goals than Mbappe at WC (16 vs 14), better ratio goals/match though
The big change for france yesterday it's the change between Dembele and Olise……..thank to Deschamps……we found our new Zidane yesterday…….and faster than Zidane…….Mbappé it's Mbappé…..if you give him good balls, like Olise do…….well it's a goal……95% of the time……the two real question, its : maybe Vincent Kompany misunderstood who is Olise and it's a bad idea to put Olise on the right?……and how many the Real madrid is ready to pay to buy Olise?😂😂😂😂…….
How the ref could have refused the penalty ? Almost a lapsus, making the match difficult for France. Very suspect
So we learn that Olise play better as a 10 in France national team and mbappe has a good connection with Olise as playmaker and striker. Mbappe can also play as LW and be leathal like last world cup. The question is who to put on the RW, should it be Dembele?
I reckon if mbappe want, he can play until 40.
I disagree that Olise should not drop back to get the ball. Tchouameni & Rabiot were really struggling in the first half until they had Olise just in front of them to defend. This enabled France to get many more balls in transition and counter-attack before Senegal was back in defensive shape.
The moment the french coach came to terms witht the fact he doesnt know what to do with Dembele is the moment France started winning,
1:42 about that…
Very anxious in the fist time, better in a second…so proud of the french team !
Thank you to our adversary for the quality of the game.
When France is clicking, they're unplayable. In the 1st half, they were blocked in a bad false rhythm, but Deschamps repositioning Olise in 10 was the key to free and serve Mbappé.
Surprised Senegal didn’t walk off the pitch, it worked for them last time! HAHAHAHA
Kylian was 16 years old when he was in Monaco 🇲🇨
Real Madrid, Believe!!!!
Mbappe is simply unstoppable.
All them YouTubers that were mumbling drop Mbappe, drop Mbappe, like they know better than the coaching staff
I’m surprised, former Watford striker remarks. He undermines Senegal team, the first African team won England in Wembley, Has he ever played for England? Kylian is Kylian.
Porous Defense that should have given up at least 4 goals…far from perfect.
Mbappe has won the world cup, but to surpass Zidane as the French GOAT he has to do one of two things, either win another world cup, or humble himself to his teammates and the French public and win the Euros.
Notes from Senegal vs France: A Tale of Two Halves
Or, as I jokingly call it, the clash between the Kingdom of Senegal and the Nouveau African Kingdom otherwise known as France.
For much of the first half, this was a match that struggled to get out of second gear. Both sides looked strangely comfortable, almost too comfortable. The ball moved from foot to foot with little urgency, little risk, and even less ambition. Senegal, in particular, seemed guilty of overplaying, recycling possession, and repeatedly gifting opportunities for France to regain control.
Some call this style tiki-taka. I call it football's equivalent of a training session.
There is nothing inherently wrong with possession football, but when it becomes an endless exercise in sideways passing and risk avoidance, it drains the life out of the game. Fans come to watch decisive movement, incisive passing, daring runs, and shots that threaten the goal. They come to see teams impose themselves on opponents, not participate in a ninety-minute rondo drill.
Compared with the energy and directness displayed in the Cape Verde-Spain encounter, this match initially felt like two teams that had forgotten the memo.
Senegal's Ismaïla Sarr found himself with more opportunities than many expected, even more threatening at times than the superstar Kylian Mbappé. Yet chance after chance slipped away. On multiple breakaways, Sarr found space, but not the finishing touch. Whether it was hesitation, poor decision-making, or simply a lack of composure, the end product never arrived when Senegal needed it most.
For long stretches, both teams looked like shadows of themselves.
Then football reminded us how quickly a game can change.
A beautifully weighted pass from Michael Olise found Mbappé, who finished with the quality and confidence that have made him one of the most feared forwards in world football. Suddenly the match had a pulse.
Moments later, Sarr thought he had responded with a thunderous finish of his own, only for the flag to correctly rule him offside.
Game on.
The second half was a completely different contest.
Mbappé became Mbappé.
Olise transformed into the magician he has increasingly become for club and country.
France raised the tempo, increased the intensity, and started playing with purpose. The movement became sharper, the passing more aggressive, and the finishing more ruthless. Senegal, meanwhile, never quite made the same leap.
When Mbappé eventually added another beautifully taken goal to seal the contest, the outcome felt deserved.
France 3, Senegal 1.
The scoreline ultimately reflected the difference between a team that executed and a team that hesitated.
Senegal's coaching staff may need to remind their players that the match itself is not the rehearsal. The training ground is where patterns are crafted. The game is where those patterns are unleashed with conviction.
France understood that in the second half.
Senegal remained stuck in preparation mode.
Football can be unforgiving like that.
One team executes.
The other learns.
And on this occasion, France were simply the better side.
Where are Titi, Micah et Jamie ?
Olise dropping changed the game for France. France was struggling in the midfield, the reason for the bad first half. Dropping into the midfield was the tactical change form the coach
Senegal should have taken the lead in the first half
Senegal lack the right mentality (morale) they weren't hungry for victory. France has stars they can turn up you have to shock them. Senegal was too comfortable.
Time to apologize to Mobutu
To me England and Germany are the favorites. France is good but the Germanys secretly regrouped. It's gonna be interesting. Morocco isn't gonna be easy too.
Arsenal catching strays even in the WC
Doue not a starter
Dude on the right… Messi doesn't play CF position so he was never in contests for leading scorer. While he can definitely FINISH / SHOOT , his role was more of a playmaker. In the past there were FINISHERS such as KUN AGUERO, DI MARIA and now ALVAREZ AND LAUTARO MARTINEZ.
Kylian is already one of the greatest ever, the greatest player for France at world cups. France will make 3 finals in a row
Allez Les blues.
WTF Mbappé is a monster !
Kylian is already one of the greatest ever, the greatest player for France at world cups. France will make 3 finals in a row
Allez Les blues
Perfect
And it Will be perfect Until the end