Didier Deschamps Acknowledges Senegal’s Strength in World Cup Opener

Didier Deschamps, the experienced head coach of the French national team, admitted that his players felt anxiety and tension at the start of their match against Senegal in the 2026 World Cup.

France secured a valuable victory over Senegal, winning 3-1 in a match held at MetLife Stadium as part of the group stage’s opening round.

In a post-match interview, Deschamps stated, “It is comforting. We felt a bit anxious and tense at the beginning; we faced a strong opponent. When we played more freely, by changing positions of Ousmane (Dembélé) and Michael (Olise), it made Barcola more dangerous.”.

He further commented on Barcola’s performance, saying, “There are many players who deserve to be in the starting lineup; Rayan (Cherki) as well. We will need everyone throughout the tournament.”.

Deschamps also praised the French fans, noting, “They travel from far away, which is costly. Football is magical when you win and the atmosphere is filled with emotions.”.

Meanwhile, Kylian Mbappé continued to make history in the World Cup by increasing his tally to 14 goals in the tournament, surpassing Argentine star Lionel Messi’s record for most goals scored in World Cup history.

The French captain also broke Olivier Giroud’s record to become the all-time leading scorer for the French national team.