Which French and World Cup records did Mbappe break against Senegal? | | World Cup 2026 news

The France captain passed Giroud with 58 goals for his country and the most for Les Blues at the World Cup.

Any doubts about Kylian Mbappe’s status as one of the world’s greatest players were dashed when he topped the charts with two goals as France beat Senegal 3-1 in their World Cup opener.

The 27-year-old became France’s record scorer on Tuesday, surpassing Olivier Giroud with 58 goals. Meanwhile, Giroud, the commentator for Tuesday’s match against Senegal, praised Mbappe on air when he scored again in the 96th minute.

Mbappe also became France’s top scorer at the World Cup with 14 goals, and the youngest ever scorer. He surpassed Just Fontaine’s record of 13 goals, all scored at the 1958 World Cup.

Mbappe is just two goals behind Miroslav Klose’s World Cup record for most goals scored, another record he could break when France face Iraq next week in Philadelphia. He is third on the list, behind Brazil’s Ronaldo who has 15 goals, although he has surpassed Argentine icon Lionel Messi with 13 World Cup goals.

Mbappe posted on social media shortly after the game but did not mention what happened.

“It is always important to start with a win. It will be a long road, but we are ready,” he wrote on Instagram.

For his first goal of the 2026 edition, Mbappe crossed the penalty area to convert Michael Olise’s winner in the 66th minute, breaking the deadlock in a contest in which France struggled in the first half but revived after the break.

Paris Saint-Germain’s Bradley Barcola then came off the bench to grab the second late on, before team-mate Ibrahim Mbaye pulled one back for Senegal in stoppage time.

But Mbappe saved the best for last, as he fired home from distance in the 96th minute to seal victory.

Mbappe is no stranger to World Cup history; he led France to victory in Russia 2018 at the age of just 19.

What other records did Mbappe break?

His only goal for France against Peru in 2018 made him the youngest French player to qualify for the World Cup, and the second youngest, after Pele, to appear in a World Cup final. Mbappe’s achievements earned him FIFA’s Young Player of the Year award, and he was named France’s player of the year.

Although Messi’s Argentina had robbed France of back-to-back victories in 2022, Mbappe’s hat-trick in the World Cup final was only the second time this had been achieved. England’s Geoff Hurst did it in 1966 at Wembley in a 4-2 win over West Germany.

Mbappe’s goals on Tuesday mean he has scored three consecutive World Cup goals, and is the only player to have scored two or more goals in five World Cup games.