Kylian Mbappe produced another brilliant performance as France secured qualification for the World Cup 2026 knockout rounds after defeating Iraq 3-0 in a match affected by a long weather delay.
The French superstar scored twice during his 100th appearance for France, helping his team continue their strong start to the tournament. The game was temporarily stopped for almost two hours because of severe thunderstorms, making it one of the most unusual matches of the competition.
France controlled the game from the beginning and created several chances before Mbappe opened the scoring in the 14th minute. The forward received a pass from Michael Olise, moved into space and delivered a powerful strike that gave Iraq goalkeeper Ahmed Basil no chance.
The weather interruption changed the rhythm of the match, but France returned with the same intensity after the restart. Iraq struggled to deal with France’s attacking pressure and made a costly mistake that allowed Mbappe to score his second goal in the 54th minute.
A poor goal kick from Iraq created the opportunity, with Ousmane Dembele assisting Mbappe for an easy finish. Dembele then completed France’s dominant display by scoring the third goal 12 minutes later after another excellent pass from Olise.
The victory confirmed France’s place in the last 32 and kept them among the strongest teams in the tournament. Mbappe’s two goals also moved him to 16 World Cup goals, matching the record previously held by Germany legend Miroslav Klose.
The French captain is now close behind Lionel Messi in the 2026 Golden Boot race, showing once again why he remains one of football’s biggest stars.
France manager Didier Deschamps praised his players for staying focused despite the long delay and highlighted Dembele’s confidence after facing criticism in the opening match.
Iraq still have a chance to qualify through the third-place route, but they will need a strong result in their final group match and favorable outcomes elsewhere.
France will now face Norway in their final group game as they compete for the top position in Group I.
