Chelsea fans weren’t the only ones impressed with Nicolas Jackson’s display against France, as the Senegalese media had their say.
Nicolas Jackson’s performance for Senegal against France did involve some agonising near-misses, but it was his high-intensity work rate that really stood out.
Leading the line in their 2026 World Cup opener, the Chelsea man proved to be a handful, coming inches away from breaking the deadlock in the 25th-minute effort, as he rattled the post. And he thought he had dragged Senegal back into the contest, but his well-taken equaliser was disallowed for a tight offside.
Throughout the match, Jackson was locked in a physical battle against France’s premier centre-back pairing of William Saliba and Dayot Upamecano. The Arsenal and Bayern Munich defenders provided a formidable test of Jackson, in which he didn’t look out of place.
What did you think of Nicolas Jackson’s performance against France?🤔
He hit the post and scored an offside goal!
The Senegal media hail Nicolas Jackson’s World Cup display
African outlet SeneWeb had their say on Nicolas Jackson’s performance against France after the full-time whistle, and placed him in their ‘tops’ column.
‘He caused a lot of problems for Upamecano and Saliba. The French striker made several runs in behind the French defence, hitting the post in the first before being flagged offside on a goal that could have revived Senegal in the second half. With his back to the game, he relieved Senegal’s play with passes.‘
However, the one slight negative was 12 lost duels from Jackson.
Starting to think England have called up the wrong player?🤔
Nicolas Jackson is perfect for a Xabi Alonso setup
Nicolas Jackson has the profile required to thrive in a Xabi Alonso side. Known for his versatility, Jackson is far from a static number nine. His ability to drop deep, link play, and aggressively press from the front mirrors the attacking structures Alonso made famous at Bayer Leverkusen.
But at the same time, Jackson’s willingness to run the channels and get in behind stretches defensive lines, generating space for players like Cole Palmer to operate.
It’s much more than just goals, it’s his ability to create.
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