France vs Senegal: What Kante and managers said ahead of World Cup cracker
The FIFA World Cup 2026 resumes on Tuesday, June 16, 2026, with a highly anticipated Group I encounter between former champions France and Senegal at New York New Jersey Stadium. The match brings together two nations with a memorable World Cup history and could play a significant role in shaping the group standings.
A renewed rivalry
The fixture immediately evokes memories of the 2002 FIFA World Cup, when tournament newcomers Senegal stunned defending champions France with a famous 1-0 victory in the opening match in Seoul. Twenty-four years later, the two sides meet again on football’s biggest stage.
You might also like
France arrive in the tournament after an impressive qualifying campaign in Europe and will be aiming to begin their quest for a third consecutive World Cup final appearance with a victory. Senegal, meanwhile, also impressed during African qualification and will be eager to build on their strong showing at Qatar 2022, where they advanced to the Round of 16.
What managers and players said
France head coach Didier Deschamps stressed the importance of making a positive start while insisting the opening fixture will not determine the team’s fate.
“[A good start] it’s important, very important, because it’s the first match, but that’s true for every team in the competition. After that, no, it’s not decisive, because there are still two more matches to play. Even statistically, the last world champion lost its opening match. That didn’t stop them from becoming world champions. But ideally, starting with a win in a four-team group is the best possible scenario. That’s always the objective when approaching the first match,” he noted.
France midfielder N’Golo Kante expressed his delight at returning to the World Cup environment after a lengthy absence.
“I’m feeling good within this group. It’s true that eight years have passed since the [my] last World Cup. There has been quite a bit of turnover in the squad. Today, after almost two years away and then another year away, I’m enjoying being back here. We all share the same goal of doing well in this competition. My role is to be part of the group and help bring everyone together around that objective. Everyone matters. Everyone is important. Everyone feels involved and fully focused on the overall goal,” he stated.
Senegal coach Pape Thiaw dismissed the notion that a victory over France would be considered an upset.
“Would it be a surprise if Senegal were to beat France? For me, no. Because we have world-class players in this team. We’ve qualified for the last three World Cups in a row. In recent editions of the AFCON, we’ve reached three finals out of four. So, for me, it wouldn’t be a surprise. I know how hard my team works. We take things one match at a time. We’re going to play very difficult matches against very good teams, especially considering the quality of the teams in our group. This is a World Cup, and I believe every team here has earned its place. In football, I don’t like talking about surprises. Teams have worked hard to be here, and we’re going to play every match with the intention of winning it,” he explained.
Looking back to 2002
When the teams first met at a World Cup, France entered the tournament as reigning world and European champions and were widely expected to defeat debutants Senegal comfortably. Instead, the West Africans produced one of the greatest shocks in World Cup history.
A fearless Senegal side disrupted France throughout the match and secured a famous 1-0 triumph thanks to a goal from Papa Bouba Diop, marking a dream start to their maiden World Cup campaign.
Venue in focus
New York New Jersey Stadium, the venue for Tuesday’s clash, will also host the FIFA World Cup 2026 final. Home to the NFL’s New York Giants and New York Jets, the stadium has staged numerous major sporting and entertainment events over the years.
It hosted the 2016 Copa America Centenario final, where Chile defeated Argentina in a penalty shootout, and has welcomed global music stars including Bruce Springsteen, Beyoncé, Ed Sheeran and Taylor Swift.
More recently, the stadium served as a key venue during the FIFA Club World Cup 2025, including the final in which Chelsea defeated Paris Saint-Germain 3-0.
Group I outlook
France and Senegal begin their World Cup journeys in a group that also features Iraq and Norway. With only three group matches available to secure progression, both teams will be determined to start strongly as they chase a place in the knockout stages.
