Kylian Mbappe said he is driven by the desire to make history for France rather than silence his critics after scoring twice in Les Bleus’ 3-1 victory over Senegal to break two long-standing national scoring records at the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
The France captain struck in the 66th minute before adding a spectacular long-range finish deep into stoppage time as Didier Deschamps’ side opened its Group I campaign with three points at New York New Jersey Stadium on Tuesday. Bradley Barcola scored France’s other goal, while Ibrahim Mbaye briefly pulled one back for Senegal moments before Mbappe completed the scoring.
The two goals lifted Mbappe’s international tally to 58 in just 99 appearances, moving him ahead of retired striker Olivier Giroud, who finished his France career with 57 goals in 137 matches. Mbappe also became France’s all-time leading scorer at the FIFA World Cup with 14 goals, surpassing the previous national record of 13 set by Just Fontaine.
The Real Madrid forward now stands only two goals behind Germany’s Miroslav Klose, whose 16 World Cup goals remain the all-time tournament record.
“I don’t think we’re fully up and running yet, but it’s always good to start a competition with a win,” Mbappe told French broadcaster M6 after the match. “It gives you a little peace of mind.”
Despite the comfortable scoreline, Mbappe acknowledged France had been tested by a determined Senegal side that created several dangerous opportunities before halftime.
“You are never really comfortable at a World Cup,” he said. “We’ve seen with other teams how difficult it is to begin with a victory. Every team knows the World Cup is unique. Everyone wants to win and represent their country well.”
“Today wasn’t an easy match. We knew we were capable of scoring at any moment, and that helped us.”
Mbappe’s performance came after he faced criticism following France’s final warm-up match before the tournament, when he failed to score against Northern Ireland while teammate Michael Olise stole the headlines with a hat trick.
The 27-year-old dismissed suggestions that his display against Senegal was motivated by a desire to answer those critics.
“There’s no point in seeking revenge,” Mbappe said. “If I started playing to silence everyone who criticizes me, I’d have to keep playing until I was 80.”
“I play to make history for my country and to help my team win the World Cup.”
Mbappe also urged supporters and commentators to avoid drawing sweeping conclusions after only one group-stage match.
“This is only the first game of the group stage,” he said. “People shouldn’t get carried away, whether it’s with praise or criticism. We have to stay calm in everything we do.”
France’s victory puts Les Bleus at the top of Group I with three points after the opening round of matches. Deschamps’ team will next face Iraq, while Senegal will look to recover against Norway as both teams continue their pursuit of a place in the knockout stage.
