France vs Senegal clash rekindles 24-year old World Cup memory
KATHMANDU: France and Senegal are set to meet in a highly anticipated FIFA World Cup Group I opener on Tuesday midnight (12:45 AM Nepal time), reviving memories of one of the tournament’s most shocking upsets 24 years ago when Senegal defeated defending champions France 1–0 in the opening match of the 2002 World Cup.
This time, France enter the contest as one of the strongest title contenders alongside Spain. All eyes are also on head coach Didier Deschamps, who is preparing for a potential farewell run. Deschamps, the only person in football history to win the World Cup both as a player and a coach, is set to leave his “hot seat” after the tournament, with former captain Zinedine Zidane widely tipped as his successor.
The tournament in the United States also offers Deschamps a chance to further cement his legacy. He could become one of the most successful World Cup coaches in history, and if France win all three group matches, he may break German coach Helmut Schön’s record of 16 World Cup match wins.
France qualified for the tournament with remarkable consistency, dropping only two points during the qualifiers. This marks their eighth consecutive World Cup appearance. Over the last seven editions, they have reached the final four times, making them the most frequent finalists of the 21st century.
Despite a 2–1 defeat to Ivory Coast in a pre-tournament friendly that raised questions about their form, France responded strongly with a 3–1 win over Northern Ireland, reaffirming their readiness for another title challenge.
Senegal, meanwhile, arrive unbeaten in their qualification campaign. This is their third consecutive World Cup appearance. They reached the Round of 16 in 2022 but were eliminated at the group stage in 2018.
Known as the “Lions of Teranga,” Senegal are reigning African champions after winning the 2021 Africa Cup of Nations. They remain one of the strongest teams on the continent. In recent friendlies, they defeated Peru and Gambia but lost narrowly 3–2 to the United States. Their final warm-up match ended in a goalless draw against Saudi Arabia, marking the first time in 17 games they failed to score, though they have kept five clean sheets in their last seven matches.
Senegal head coach Pape Thiaw was part of the squad that famously defeated France in 2002, though he did not feature in that match.
For France, defensive stability has improved with William Saliba returning to full training after a back issue. Jules Koundé is also expected to be fit despite minor muscle concerns, while goalkeeper Mike Maignan is fully available after missing a training session.
Captain Kylian Mbappé remains France’s biggest attacking threat, having scored 56 international goals. He is just two goals away from overtaking Olivier Giroud as France’s all-time leading scorer.
For Senegal, star forward Sadio Mané is fully fit after missing the previous World Cup due to injury. However, Assane Diao, Cheikh Niasse, and Idrissa Gueye are managing minor fitness concerns but are expected to be available.
The other Group I match will see Norway face Iraq on Wednesday morning.
