0
Kylian Mbappé of France, the next-generation football king, scores a goal during the opening group stage match against Senegal at the New Jersey Stadium in New York on June 16 (local time). / Photo courtesy of AFP, Yonhap News Agency

Indeed, the next-generation football king was in a league of his own. Kylian Mbappé (Real Madrid) netted a brace in the opening match of the World Cup group stage, steering France to a smooth start in their quest for a third consecutive final appearance.

Amid a string of early-stage slumps by European powerhouses at the 2026 FIFA World Cup, France put on an overwhelming display from their very first match on the back of Mbappé's brilliance. In the opening Group Stage match against Senegal held at the New Jersey Stadium in New York on June 16 (local time), France unleashed a three-goal barrage to secure a 3-1 victory.

After a scoreless first half, the two teams broke the tense deadlock by trading four goals in the second half alone. Mbappé, in particular, effectively sealed the match with a spectacular insurance goal in second-half stoppage time, just as France was being chased at 2-1. Senegal, who cruised through the African qualifiers undefeated, could not withstand France's firepower in their tournament opener.

The clash drew significant attention as a rematch of the 2002 Korea-Japan World Cup opening game, where Senegal staged one of the biggest upsets in tournament history by defeating defending champion France. Riding the momentum of that victory, Senegal marched into the quarterfinals, matching the highest-ever finish for an African nation at the time. Until Morocco reached the semifinals in the previous Qatar tournament, Senegal's quarterfinal run stood as the top African achievement.

Senegal's resilience was formidable. In the first half, Nicolas Jackson (Bayern Munich) rattled France's woodwork, and it was Senegal who created more decisive opportunities. The standout moment of the first half saw a rebounded shot strike the goalkeeper's body and roll agonizingly wide of the goal line. Relentlessly pressing France late in the first half, Senegal kept knocking on the door with a powerful mid-range strike from Sadio Mané (Al Nassr).

Football's unwritten rule—"opportunity follows a crisis"—manifested in the second half. Having survived the scare, France regained composure and surged ahead with successive goals from Bradley Barcola (PSG) and Mbappé. Though the scales tipped in an instant, Senegal refused to back down. They found the back of the net once only for it to be ruled out for offside, but finally breached the French defense during second-half stoppage time via Ibrahim Mbaye's (PSG) brilliant right-footed strike.

French manager Didier Deschamps slammed a water bottle in fury at the concession, but less than a minute later, Mbappé hammered in the final nail to put the game to bed. Deschamps was seen beaming with a wide smile, experiencing a rollercoaster of emotions in a mere 60 seconds. The match concluded at 3-1, allowing Les Bleus to take a light-footed first step toward a historic third straight final.

		0
Hwang In-beom scores the equalizing goal during South Korea's opening Group A match against the Czech Republic at the Guadalajara Stadium in Zapopan, Mexico, on June 11 (local time) during the 2026 World Cup. / Photo courtesy of Yonhap News Agency

European powerhouses struggle against Asia with two draws and two losses; Iraq seeks to maintain Asia's undefeated streak against Norway

Among the European powerhouses, with the sole exception of Germany—who cruised to a 7-1 victory over Curaçao—the early tournament slumps of football giants like Spain, the Netherlands, and Belgium are particularly striking. Amid this atmosphere, France proved exactly why they are considered the top title favorites, putting on an overwhelming display driven by the brilliance of Mbappé.

Most notably, across four matches that featured a "Europe versus Asia" showdown, European teams have failed to secure a single win, posting a record of two draws and two losses. South Korea and Australia stand at the forefront of this Asian surge, having defeated the Czech Republic and Türkiye, respectively. Japan also went toe-to-toe in a high-scoring thriller against the Netherlands, securing a 2-2 draw with an attacking display that refused to back down. Meanwhile, Qatar harvested their first-ever World Cup point by netting a dramatic late equalizer against Switzerland.

Against this backdrop, France put themselves in a prime position to top their group on the back of a peerless opening result. In the same group, Iraq and Norway are set to clash at 7 a.m. (KST) on the same day at the Boston Stadium in the United States. This match is also drawing intense attention from football fans worldwide as another "Asia versus Europe" battle. With France and Norway heavily favored to advance as the top two sides, Group I—where Iraq and Senegal are looking to pull off an upset—is being dubbed yet another "Group of Death."

                                                                                                         Cheon Hyun-bin