I'm the Premier League cult hero who made his name with the World Cup goal that stunned world champions France

A World Cup opening game is always full of excitement as everyone gets ready for the tournament to begin after months of build-up to football's grandest stage.

Over the years, there have been several memorable curtain-raisers, which have set the tone to kickstart memorable finals. 

Perhaps one of the most infamous openers came at the 2002 World Cup when it saw reigning champions France and their all-star squad take on Senegal, who were competing in their first-ever tournament. 

Many expected the French, who still boasted many of the big names from their win in 1998, as well as the best of a new talented generation, to possibly repeat their success on home turf. 

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Certainly, an opener against a team that had never appeared at this stage previously shouldn't have provided the French with any issues. However, things didn't pan out that way. 

The African nation stunned Roger Lemere's side, thanks to a future Premier League midfield man-mountain Papa Bouba Diop. 

His winner caused one of the biggest shocks in World Cup history and set in motion a downfall for France that saw the holders dumped out of the competition at the group stage without even scoring a goal. 

Meanwhile, Senegal finished and reached the quarter-finals, where they narrowly lost to Turkey. 

Twenty-four years on the teams will meet again in 2026 in the opening game of this year's World Cup.

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France downed in World Cup opener 

Papa Bouba Diop's goal defeats world champions 

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