World Cup 2026: Mendy remains upbeat as Senegal eye recovery after opening defeat to France

Senegal goalkeeper Édouard Mendy believes his side are still firmly in contention to progress from their group at the 2026 FIFA World Cup despite a 3-1 defeat to France in their opening match in East Rutherford.

The 2002 quarter-finalists were left to rue missed opportunities in the first half as they failed to capitalise on promising spells, before reigning champions France seized control after the break.

A clinical double from Kylian Mbappé and a strike from Bradley Barcola sealed victory for Les Bleus in Group I, while Senegal’s lone goal offered only brief encouragement on a difficult night.

Despite the setback, Mendy—who represents Saudi Pro League side Al-Ahli at club level—insisted the result does not define his team’s campaign, pointing to their resilience in previous tournaments.

“As I said, even if we won this match, the group would still be open,” Mendy said in an interview with beIN Sports. “Today we lost, but like in 2022, we must rest and focus on Norway.”

Senegal’s route through the group stage remains challenging but open, with fixtures against Norway next Monday followed by Iraq four days later. The West African side will be aiming to revive momentum quickly as they look to replicate or improve on past World Cup performances.

For Mendy and his teammates, the message is clear: the campaign is far from over, but response and efficiency in front of goal will be crucial in the coming matches.