France Held to Scoreless Draw by Senegal in 2026 World Cup Group Stage

France, the 2018 World Cup champions, delivered a disappointing opening performance in Group 9 of the 2026 tournament, being held to a 0-0 draw by Senegal at MetLife Stadium on Tuesday. The French squad managed only one shot on target during the entire first half—their lowest total in group stage play since 1966—while Senegal pressed forward with five attempts, including one on target. Despite fielding multiple star players, including Kylian Mbappé, France failed to create genuine pressure on the Senegalese defense. Mbappé, one of world football's most acclaimed talents, touched the ball just 14 times in the first 45 minutes, fewer than any other player on the pitch, highlighting the team's overall lack of rhythm and control. According to statistics compiled by Stats Foot, France has led at halftime in only two of their seven opening matches since 2000, a troubling pattern that continued in this encounter. The match opened Group 9 fixtures, which also includes Iraq and Norway, with further group games scheduled for Wednesday.