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Opta Analyst
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Lionel Messi has contributed to 10 goals in his last 5 games in the FIFA World Cup (8 goals, 2 assists).
vs Australia: 1 goal
vs Netherlands: 1 goal, 1 assist
vs Croatia: 1 goal, 1 assist
vs France: 2 goals
vs Algeria: 3 goals
Here are the starting lineups for France vs Senegal in New Jersey.
Can this group get France to a third straight World Cup final?
Or is another Senegal upset on the cards?
𝐅𝐫𝐚𝐧𝐜𝐞 𝟎-𝟎 𝐒𝐞𝐧𝐞𝐠𝐚𝐥 𝐇𝐓
Ismaila Sarr misses the best chance of the game with the last kick of the first half. Senegal should probably be 1-0 up.
France started brightly but managed just 0.02 xG. Big improvement needed.
201 passes (182 successful)
1 shot
2 touches in the opposition box
0.02 xG
Lots of the ball for France so far, but very little threat on the Senegal goal.
Kylian Mbappé didn't have a great first half.
But he was unrecognisable after the break, and his two goals earn France a 3-1 win over Senegal to kick off their 2026 World Cup.
Michael Olise's 1.35 non-penalty xG + xA vs Senegal is the highest total by any player at the 2026 World Cup.
And he essentially got that in one half.
Mbappé might dominate the headlines, but Olise was the genius behind that win, writes @alitweedale.bsky.social
theanalyst.com/articles/mic...
Mbappé is now only two goals off the all-time record for goals scored in World Cup matches.
theanalyst.com/articles/mos...
Jordan were very impressive on debut, but they ended up falling to a 3-1 defeat to Austria.
Teams playing their first-ever World Cup match have failed to win in their last 17 such matches (D4 L13), since Senegal’s victory over France in 2002.
Find all the best live Opta data with our match centre here -
theanalyst.com/articles/fra...
Relieve the best storylines and do your own analysis with our data-led report, which contains an interactive chalkboard:
theanalyst.com/articles/aus...
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Who has scored the most goals at the World Cup? We look over the top scorers in men’s FIFA World Cup history.
theanalyst.com
France had Bayern Munich midfielder Michael Olise to thank - just as much as Kylian Mbappé - for his part in their 3-1 win over Senegal.