Loss of Focus Caused Senegal's Defeat to France, Says Mendy

Senegal's goalkeeper Edouard Mendy admitted that a lapse in concentration during critical moments led to their 1-3 defeat against France in their 2026 World Cup Group I opener. Despite showing promise in the first half, Senegal failed to capitalize on key chances, allowing France to secure a comfortable victory with two goals from Kylian Mbappé and one from Bradley Barcola.

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You cannot lose focus for a second because they have players with extraordinary talent.

Mendy stated that while Senegal was slower in the first half, they improved their game and attacking sharpness in the second. However, he stressed that against a team like France, maintaining focus on both defense and attack is paramount. "You cannot lose focus for a second because they have players with extraordinary talent," Mendy told beIN Sports.

The former Chelsea goalkeeper, who won the Champions League in 2021, believes the gap between the two teams is not significant. He felt Senegal was too careless in possession and should have been more consistent in controlling the game, while also acknowledging France's high quality. "We know the ability we have and we can play better," he added.

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We know the ability we have and we can play better. We were too careless in maintaining possession. We should have been more consistent when controlling the game.

Despite the opening loss, Mendy remains optimistic about Senegal's chances of reaching the second round. He drew parallels to the 2022 World Cup, where the team also lost their first match but advanced to the knockout stage. "Today we lost, but just like in 2022 when we lost the first game before rising to advance to the knockout round, we need to rest and focus entirely on the match against Norway," he said. Senegal will face Norway next, followed by Iraq.

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Today we lost, but just like in 2022 when we lost the first game before rising to advance to the knockout round, we need to rest and focus entirely on the match against Norway.