India, June 17 -- France's FIFA World Cup 2026 opener against Senegal was not the smooth procession the final scoreline suggested. At MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, the former world champions were held goalless for 65 minutes by a Senegal side that stayed compact, competitive and dangerous enough to keep the match alive deep into the second half.

The game eventually ended France 3-1 Senegal, but it carried two very different stories. On the surface, it was a comfortable opening win: Kylian Mbappe scored twice, Bradley Barcola came off the bench to score, and France walked away with three points. Underneath, however, it was a match of fluctuating value, where France's World Cup position strengthened sharply but was briefly threatened...