Senegal suffered a 3-1 defeat against France in their opening match of the 2026 World Cup qualifiers. Captain Kalidou Koulibaly acknowledged a strong first-half performance by his team, despite a lack of finishing. He highlighted France’s ability to capitalize on Senegalese errors in the second half, converting three shots from turnovers. Despite a late attempt to close the gap after conceding a goal, Senegal ultimately conceded a third, sealing their fate. Koulibaly expressed disappointment with the result but urged the team to quickly regroup and prepare for their next qualifying match. The defeat marks a challenging start to Senegal’s campaign, but the captain remains optimistic about their ability to recover. He emphasized the need for immediate mobilization to address the issues revealed during the match.