France Overcomes Senegal as Mbappé Sets Scoring Record

France had to work for it. Really work for it. But a sharp tactical reset from Didier Deschamps at half-time and a ruthless Kylian Mbappé brace dragged Les Bleus to a 3-1 win over Senegal in their World Cup opener.

It was not the smooth, exhibition-style start many had predicted. Senegal pressed high, snapped into duels, and for long spells in the first half France looked short of ideas, short of rhythm, and short of space. Deschamps, arms folded on the touchline, saw enough.

The break changed everything.

Deschamps pulls the lever

France emerged for the second half with a different shape and a different edge. The full-backs pushed higher, the midfield lines tightened, and the ball started to reach Mbappé in the zones he loves – facing goal, running at defenders, dictating the tempo rather than reacting to it.

The pressure finally told. Mbappé, already chasing history at a ridiculous pace for his country, struck twice to flip the game on its head and become France’s all-time leading scorer, moving out on his own with 58 goals. The finish that took him past the record carried all the hallmarks of his rise: explosive movement, cold-blooded composure, and an air of inevitability.

France added a third to kill off any lingering resistance, while Senegal, who had asked serious questions in the opening period, faded as the spaces grew and the French confidence swelled. By the final whistle, Deschamps’ adjustments looked simple. They weren’t. They were decisive.

Messi turns on the light for Argentina

On another continent, another No. 10 was busy bending the narrative back in his direction.

Lionel Messi, still the reference point for Argentina, produced a hat-trick against Algeria that felt less like a group-stage formality and more like a statement. Every touch carried intent, every surge forward hinted at damage. When he completed his treble, the scoreboard told one story; the wider football world heard another.

Messi’s performance does more than light up Argentina’s campaign. It turns up the heat on his old rival. Cristiano Ronaldo and Portugal face DR Congo on Wednesday, and the comparison will be impossible to escape. Messi has his goals. His moment. His early claim on this tournament.

Ronaldo’s response now becomes one of the week’s most compelling subplots.