Mbappé's France faces Haaland's Norway, Senegal and Iraq in World Cup Group I

France’s Kylian Mbappe, left, is challenged by Croatia’s Luka Modric during the UEFA Nations League quarterfinal second leg soccer match between France and Croatia, at the Stade de France in Saint-Denis, outside Paris, Sunday, March 23, 2025. (AP Photo/Thibault Camus, File)

When France starts its World Cup against Senegal at New Jersey’s MetLife Stadium, it will bring back memories of the 2002 opener in Seoul, South Korea, when the Lions of Teranga upset Les Bleus in a match that sparked dancing in the streets of Dakar.

Seeking its third world title after 1998 and 2018, France is among the tournament favorites with a roster headed by Kylian Mbappé, Hugo Ekitike, Ousmane Dembélé and Michael Olise. In its last prep matches before June, Les Bleus beat Brazil 2-1 and Colombia 3-1.

France coach Didier Deschamps complained of long security lines in the U.S. and cited traffic getting to Foxborough, Massachusetts, site of his team’s first-round meeting with Norway.

“The hardest part is the roads that take a long time, too long, and so to come to the stadium it took us an hour and 15 minutes before a match,” he said through a translator of a March friendly against Brazil. “It’s not easy.”

Deschamps, the coach since 2012, intends to step down after the tournament.

With a title, Les Bleus would become just the fifth nation with three or more championships, joining Brazil (five), Germany and Italy (four each) and Argentina (three).