France
- France have had a shaky start to the new FIFA World Cup cycle, losing 1-2 to the Ivory Coast at home, but quickly put that defeat behind them with a solid 3-1 win against Northern Ireland at the weekend.
- France have scored 3 goals in each of their last 2 games (3-1 vs N. Ireland and 1-3 vs Colombia).
- France have conceded just 0.8 goals per game at home across all competitions since the start of 2023, but at New York/New Jersey Stadium, we're not expecting Les Bleus to dominate in the same way.
Senegal
- France have won 4 of their last 5 matches, losing once (1-2 vs Ivory Coast), while Senegal have won just 1 of their last 3, drawing 0-0 with Saudi Arabia and losing 3-2 to the USA.
- Senegal have scored 6 goals in their last 3 away matches.
- The Teranga have mixed momentum heading into this fixture after a clean sheet against Saudi Arabia, but they suffered a 3-2 defeat in the States a few days prior to that.
France
- His team can set up in a 4-2-3-1 or a 4-3-3 as the occasion dictates, but the backbone to each formation remains the same.
- Aurélien Tchouaméni acts as a ball-playing anchor in midfield, who can progress the ball and protect the defense when needed.
- Kylian Mbappé is France's talisman, but he is just one of a number of top-quality attacking players at Deschamps' disposal.
Senegal
- Kalidou Koulibaly has the physical presence and aerial prowess to be Senegal's key defender against the French.
- The boss, appointed in October 2024, has focused on a team-first approach, prioritising collective organization, midfield screening and quick transitions.
- Sadio Mané has been Senegal's main threat in the final third in the last few years and remains so here.
- Ismaïla Sarr is a direct, fast player on the wings and provides Senegal with their best opportunity to make numbers in transition and to attack with some tempo when on the front foot.
Betting Insights
France are the clear favorites to win this Group I match-up at 1.49 , while Senegal are a long shot at 7.4 , which is a fair reflection of the form and squad depth that the two sides have had over the past couple of years.
Head-to-Head
The Lions of Teranga, who memorably stunned France at the 2002 World Cup, will be looking to make up for their defeat in that tournament when they face off in New York/New Jersey, USA, on Tuesday.
Prediction
- Les Bleus have a superior record and are generally a more settled, quality side, but they won't have things all their own way against a Senegal team who are highly organised and can be dangerous on the counter.
- Picking up a result against France will be important for their own chances of progressing from Group I and potentially for seeding in the knockout stages.
