France kicked off their World Cup 2026 campaign in New Jersey with a 3-1 victory over Senegal, but their opening Group I clash was overshadowed by a contentious VAR decision that denied star forward Kylian Mbappe a penalty. Despite the eventual comfortable win, the incident in the 58th minute left many questioning the application of video technology, as reported by GiveMeSport.

The contentious 58th-minute incident

With the score still goalless, Mbappe, who plays his club football for Real Madrid, appeared to be brought down inside the box by a lunging challenge from Senegal’s Sadio Mane. Referee Alireza Faghani initially pointed for a corner, seemingly believing Mane had made contact with the ball. However, the play was subsequently reviewed by VAR, prompting Faghani to consult the pitchside monitor. After a lengthy check, the decision was upheld as ‘no penalty’, with officials determining that Mbappe had initiated the contact himself before falling.

Pundits and officials question VAR ruling

The ruling immediately drew sharp criticism from pundits and former officials. French journalist Matt Spiro took to X, expressing his disbelief: “How on earth has Mbappe ‘initiated the contact’. Mane came flying in, made contact with Mbappe, who fell. Harder to get a much clearer pen than that!”

Darren McCann, who was part of the officiating team for the 2010 World Cup final and was covering the match for the BBC, echoed the sentiment. “I can’t support the referee’s decision. For me, it was a clear penalty,” McCann stated. He further revealed the extent of the disagreement among his peers, adding, “My phone has been blowing up, with several of the world’s best referees saying they also can’t understand why the penalty wasn’t given.”

Read also: Kane has a clear message to his teammates ahead of Croatia showdown

France secure opening victory

Despite the controversial call, France, losing finalists in the 2022 World Cup and among the leading contenders for the 2026 tournament, found their stride. Mbappe himself broke the deadlock just eight minutes later, giving Didier Deschamps’ side the lead in the 66th minute. Bradley Barcola then doubled the French advantage on 82 minutes. Although Ibrahim Mbaye managed to halve the deficit for Senegal, Mbappe sealed the win with his second strike of the game, making it 3-1 and ensuring France began their tournament with three points.

Read also: Why Fox is making hundreds of millions from the 2026 World Cup's hydration breaks