France kicks off the 2026 World Cup tonight at 9 PM. Their opponent is Senegal – the team that handed the French a historic 0-1 defeat at the start of the tournament 24 years ago. Die Zeit recalls that match and provides context for today’s encounter.
The French attack is considered one of the strongest in the tournament: world footballer Ousmane Dembélé, Kylian Mbappé, and Bayern winger Michael Olise are expected to score the goals. Senegal, however, should not be underestimated – the federation is currently in a legal dispute before the International Court of Arbitration for Sport over the stripped African title.
Meanwhile, the Iraqi national coach is looking for English-speaking players for the left side – an unusual challenge off the pitch. Spain, one of the title favorites, already suffered a shipwreck against Cape Verde yesterday.
EuroPulse reported on June 13, 2026 about thefts of rare Pushkin editions in France that led to prison sentences of up to seven years: https://europulse.today/puschkin-diebstahl-frankreich-haftstrafen/.
Source: www.zeit.de
