France made a perfect start to their 2026 World Cup campaign with a 3-1 victory over Senegal in New York. While Kylian Mbappé made history with a brace and another record in the blue jersey, several Paris Saint-Germain players also played a major role in the opening win.
Starting the match, Désiré Doué grew into the game as it progressed. Much more influential after halftime, the young PSG midfielder brought pace and danger in the final third, helping spark France’s resurgence after a difficult first half.
Barcola Delivers the Decisive Impact
The standout PSG performer of the evening was undoubtedly Bradley Barcola. Introduced in the 80th minute, the winger needed only two minutes to put the game beyond Senegal’s reach. Played through by a brilliant pass from Adrien Rabiot, he calmly lifted the ball over Edouard Mendy with remarkable composure.
After the match, Barcola revealed that his goal was far from accidental. “I knew there would be spaces when I came on. I could see it while warming up. On the bench, we talked about the chances and they told me to chip it if I got the opportunity. That’s exactly what I did,” explained the PSG attacker.
Things were much more difficult for Ousmane Dembélé, however. The French forward struggled to make an impact, made several poor decisions, and missed an early opportunity to set up Mbappé. Didier Deschamps later praised the attacking adjustments made after the break, highlighting Barcola’s influence off the bench.
After being outplayed for long stretches by Senegal, France returned from halftime with greater intensity and creativity, eventually securing victory through Mbappé before Barcola sealed the result. With Doué’s growing influence and Barcola’s decisive contribution, the two PSG players confirmed their excellent form and sent a strong message ahead of France’s next World Cup clash against Iraq.
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