France beats Senegal after Deschamps' tactical switch, names Spain favorite

In their World Cup opener, France struggled in the first half against Senegal, entering halftime level at 0‑0. Coach Didier Deschamps then swapped Michael Olise and Ousmane Dembélé, moving Olise into a more central role. The change sparked a partnership with Kylian Mbappé, resulting in two second‑half goals and a 3‑1 victory. Olise provided the assist for the first goal, logged the greatest distance covered and the most sprints of any player, while Mbappé scored twice, overtaking Olivier Giroud as France’s all‑time World Cup scorer.

Before the match, Deschamps told reporters that Spain is the "absolute favourite" to win the tournament, though he said France also has the potential to succeed. He highlighted the new three‑minute hydration breaks and defended Mbappé against criticism of his defensive work. The coach also addressed a protest by French journalists over the detention of a reporter in Algeria. The win advances France to the next round of the competition.