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World Cup favourites France take on Senegal in their opening Group I match, in a repeat of the fixture that saw the Lions of Teranga clinch a famous win over the then-title holders. Kylian Mbappé and Ousmane Dembélé start for Les Bleus, with Sadio Mané leading Senegal’s attack. Follow our live, minute-by-minute coverage.
France come into this year’s World Cup as one of the leading contenders for the trophy having reached the final in the last two editions. But their opponents Senegal serve as a warning of the dangers of over-confidence, having famously stunned Les Bleus at this stage in 2002.
The goal that set off dancing in Dakar
Six of France’s current players hadn’t even been born at the time of the 2002 game, when Papa Bouba Diop scored in the 30th minute while lying on his side.
France’s 2002 fiasco
Les Bleus entered the 2002 tournament in Japan and South Korea as overwhelming favourites to retain the title they had won four years earlier.
But hindered by an injury to Zinedine Zidane, they suffered a shock 1-0 loss to Senegal in Seoul and never recovered, crashing out in the group stage without scoring a goal.
Senegal went on to reach their first World Cup quarter-final, a feat they are yet to repeat.
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France begin their World Cup campaign in just over an hour at the MetLife Stadium near New York City, with Didier Deschamps’ star-studded squad among the leading contenders to lift the golden trophy.
But their Group I opponents Senegal, who famously defeated them at the same stage 24 years ago, serve as a warning of the dangers of over-confidence.
Read moreWorld Cup 2026: All the fixtures
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