Mbappé’s Late Right-Foot Rocket Sinks Senegal

Kylian Mbappé’s trademark right-footed rocket sealed France’s 2–1 win over Senegal in an international friendly at MetLife Stadium on June 5, 2024. The 88th-minute strike—dubbed ‘ultraderecha’ by Spanish media—arrived late in a cagey second half, capping a nervy display from Didier Deschamps’ side. France had twice fallen behind before Mbappé’s intervention.

Senegal opened the scoring through Sadio Mané in the 18th minute, exploiting a defensive lapse to put Les Bleus on the back foot. The hosts equalized through a first-half penalty converted by Antoine Griezmann, but Senegal regained the lead through Ismaila Sarr in the 57th minute. The match turned on Mbappé’s intervention.

The PSG captain collected a loose ball deep on the right, cut inside, and unleashed a 25-yard right-footed drive past Édouard Mendy. The strike left Senegal’s defense rooted to the spot and sparked wild celebrations in the stands. Mbappé’s finish mirrored his Champions League semifinal winner against Bayern Munich in 2020, a reminder that big-game moments aren’t confined to elite competitions.