History has a funny way of setting the stage in football, and tonight at the MetLife Stadium in New Jersey, the echoes of 2002 will be louder than ever. As Senegal prepares to open their Group I campaign against France in this expanded 48-team World Cup, everyone is thinking about that iconic night in Seoul 24 years ago. Back then, the Teranga Lions shocked the world by upsetting the reigning champions 1-0, a fairy-tale run that took them all the way to the quarterfinals. Since that golden summer, however, replication has proven elusive. Senegal has only managed a round-of-16 finish at best in subsequent appearances and carries a frustrating statistic into tonight’s match: they have failed to keep a clean sheet in their last 11 World Cup finals matches.
Compounding the anxiety for Senegalese fans is a string of unconvincing performances during their warm-up friendlies. Yet, writing off Pape Thiaw’s men has historically been a dangerous gamble. The team has received a massive psychological and defensive boost with the return of Kalidou Koulibaly. The veteran Al-Hilal centre-back missed the final two months of the club season with a thigh injury, but a brief eight-minute cameo against Saudi Arabia proved he is fit enough to potentially anchor the defense from the opening whistle tonight.
In attack, structural concerns have also cleared up at just the right time. There were initial fears surrounding Nicolas Jackson after the Chelsea forward picked up a red card for two bookable offenses in that final friendly against Saudi Arabia. Fortunately for Senegal, the suspension does not carry over to the tournament itself. Jackson is locked in to lead the line, flanked by the talismanic Sadio Mane and the creative Iliman Ndiaye on the wings, giving the African giants plenty of teeth to test the French backline.
France, meanwhile, arrives in the United States driven by a profound sense of unfinished business. Still smarting from their agonizing penalty shootout heartbreak against Argentina in Qatar, Les Bleus are obsessed with scaling the mountain once again. Having won it all in 2018, Didier Deschamps’ squad firmly believes they have the quality to reach a third consecutive final. Deschamps himself stands on the precipice of football immortality, chasing another world title to add to his legendary collection as both a player in 1998 and a manager.
France boasts what is arguably the most complete and terrifyingly deep squad of any country in the tournament. The single major blemish on their preparation was a back injury suffered by Arsenal’s William Saliba during the intense Champions League final against PSG. While the defender was used with extreme caution during France’s recent warm-up games, Deschamps and the medical team have downplayed the severity of the issue. Saliba is expected to take his place in the starting lineup alongside Dayot Upamecano.
With the defense settled, the real selection headache for France lies in an embarrassment of riches up front. Kylian Mbappe, Ousmane Dembele, and Michael Olise are virtually guaranteed to start, forming a terrifying trident that can unlock any defense on the planet. That leaves a golden generation of younger talent, including Bradley Barcola, Rayan Cherki, and Desire Doue, fighting tooth and nail for the final remaining spot in the attacking rotation.
It is a classic David versus Goliath opening act, wrapped in decades of narrative. France has the depth, the pedigree, and the silverware to justify their status as heavy favorites to dominate Group I. But as Senegal proved over two decades ago, matches aren’t won on paper, and the Teranga Lions love nothing more than spoiling a French party.
