France vs Senegal Key Stats: FIFA World Cup 2026

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Below you can find key stats for France vs Senegal. From historical trends to player milestones, we have you covered for every match at FIFA World Cup 2026 in USA, Canada & Mexico!

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• Senegal shocked France by defeating the defending champions 1-0 in Seoul in the opening match of the FIFA World Cup in 2002. Papa Bouba Diop’s 30th-minute strike brought the West African side victory on their debut, and they would go through to the next round while the holders went out after just three games in which they failed to score. That remains the teams’ only encounter.
• Winners in 1998 and 2018, France have lined up in 16 previous editions of the FIFA World Cup. Their place at the 2026 tournament marks an eighth consecutive appearance, with their last absence dating back to 1994.
• France secured qualification for the 2026 finals in impressive fashion, recording five wins and one draw from six matches to finish six points clear of runners-up Ukraine at the top of their group.
• Les Bleus have contested the trophy decider in four of the last seven editions of the tournament, including back-to-back final appearances in 2018 and 2022. Didier Deschamps’ charges came within touching distance of retaining their title on Qatari soil, ultimately losing out to Argentina in a nail-biting penalty shoot-out.
• France secured their first World Cup crown on home soil in 1998, when they defeated Brazil 3-0 in the tournament decider. That edition remains the last one at which the hosts have reigned supreme.
• At the 2022 global showpiece, Kylian Mbappe became only the second player to score a hat-trick in a FIFA World Cup final, matching the feat achieved by England’s Geoff Hurst in 1966. The fleet-footed Frenchman finished the tournament with eight goals, a tally that was enough to earn him the adidas Golden Boot.
• Didier Deschamps is making his 20th appearance as a head coach in a FIFA World Cup match, a total previously reached by only six others: Helmut Schon (25), Carlos Alberto Parreira (23), Luiz Felipe Scolari (21), Bora Milutinovic (20), Oscar Tabarez (20) and Mario Zagallo (20).
• France have won four and lost three of their previous seven FIFA World Cup matches against African teams.
• France had gone eight FIFA World Cup group matches without defeat (W6 D2) before their 1-0 loss to Tunisia in their last group fixture at Qatar 2022.
• France have lost their opening match only once in their last eight FIFA World Cup appearances (W5 D2), the 1-0 defeat to Senegal in 2002. They have won the three most recent.
• Senegal are making their fourth FIFA World Cup appearance in 2026, having now qualified for three consecutive editions. This follows a 16-year gap between their debut in 2002 and their return in 2018.
• The Lions of Teranga delivered one of the most memorable World Cup debuts in 2002, reaching the quarter-finals after a stunning 1-0 victory over defending champions France in their opening match. They remain the only African nation to reach the quarter-finals in their first appearance.
• At Qatar 2022, Senegal advanced from the group stage, bouncing back from an opening defeat to the Netherlands with consecutive wins over Qatar and Ecuador, before being eliminated by England in the round of 16.
• Senegal’s qualification for the FIFA World Cup 2026 was sealed on the final matchday in their qualifying group, with a commanding 4-0 win over Mauritania ensuring they topped their section ahead of Congo DR. They finished the campaign unbeaten, recording seven wins and three draws across ten matches.
• Senegal have lost their last two FIFA World Cup matches against European teams, but their overall record versus UEFA opposition in the competition is balanced at three wins, three losses and one draw from seven encounters.
• Senegal have lost only two of their nine FIFA World Cup group stage matches (W4 D3).
• None of Senegal’s previous 12 FIFA World Cup matches finished goalless.
• Senegal have won their opening match in two of their three previous FIFA World Cup participations, with the lone defeat coming in 2022 against the Netherlands (0-2).
• Senegal coach Pape Thiaw was a member of the Lions of Teranga squad that graced the quarter‑finals at the 2002 FIFA World Cup. However, he did not make it off the bench in four of the team’s five outings, including the tournament opener against the French.
• Kalidou Koulibaly, Ismaila Sarr and Idrissa Gana Gueye are participating in their third FIFA World Cup, becoming the first Senegalese players ever to achieve this milestone.
• 2026 squad members Kalidou Koulibaly and Ismaila Sarr jointly hold Senegal’s record for most FIFA World Cup appearances, alongside Youssouf Sabaly on seven. One or both could move clear with an appearance in this fixture.

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