World Cup 2026 Player of the Day - Day 6: Mbappe Makes More History as Fancied France Make Winning Start
Tom Hancock
Some players are born to play at the World Cup – and in this generation, that player is Kylian Mbappe, who added further still to the word count of the history books with his starring role in France’s 3-1 victory over Senegal in New York.
There was nothing to separate the sides at half-time of their Group I opener, but Mbappe – not for the first time in a France shirt – ultimately took the game by the scruff of the neck and propelled the two-time world champions and tournament joint favourites to a winning start.
Having been denied a penalty despite a VAR review midway through the second half, Mbappe broke the deadlock on 66 minutes, latching onto Michael Olise’s pinpoint pass into the box and slotting past Senegal goalkeeper Edouard Mendy with a world-class first-time finish.
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After Bradley Barcloa had doubled the French lead, Ibrahim Mbaye gave Senegal a glimmer of hope with a fine strike in stoppage time – but Mbappe would outdo him the very next minute.
Picking the ball up some way from goal, the Real Madrid created space for himself before unleashing a rocket from 30 yards, moving past Olivier Giroud to a record 58 goals for his country – who he was captaining at the World Cup for the first time.
Mbappe’s match-winning brace also took him to 14 World Cup goals, past Just Fontaine for the most by any French player, and to within two goals of Miroslav Klose’s all-time world cup record of 16 – and with, one would assume, at least three more games to go this summer, no one would be remotely surprised if the 2022 World Cup Golden Boot winner surpassed Klose in the very near future.
READ MORE: What Date and Time do the World Cup 2026 Group Stage Matches Kick Off?
