Kylian Mbappé celebrated his 100th cap for France in spectacular fashion on Monday, netting twice to lead Les Bleus to a 3-0 victory over Iraq in their 2026 World Cup Group I match in Philadelphia.
The French captain opened the scoring in the 14th minute with a powerful strike, then doubled his tally early in the second half. Ousmane Dembélé rounded off the win in the 66th minute, helping Didier Deschamps’ side preserve their flawless start to the tournament.
The match at Lincoln Financial Field was dramatically interrupted, with a severe storm forcing an extended two-hour halftime delay. While the game began under dry skies, heavy rain and lightning late in the first half prompted officials to evacuate exposed seating areas, packing thousands of fans into the stadium’s covered concourses as players waited in the dressing rooms. This was the first weather delay of the tournament, with U.S. safety protocols requiring play to stop when storms are detected nearby.
Before the stoppage, Mbappé had already given France the lead with a stunning 20-metre effort after skillfully controlling a pass and firing past Iraq goalkeeper Ahmed Basil. Iraq’s troubles mounted when their captain, Aymen Hussein, was forced off with an injury in the 26th minute.
Once play resumed, France quickly regained momentum. In the 54th minute, a defensive mishap from Zaid Tahseen allowed Dembélé to tee up Mbappé for an easy finish. Michael Olise nearly added a fourth, striking the bar, before assisting Dembélé for France’s third goal.
With his brace, Mbappé has now scored four goals in two matches at the tournament, building on his double in France’s 3-1 opening win over Senegal. The Real Madrid star’s international tally stands at 60 goals in 100 appearances, including 16 World Cup goals in as many matches. He now trails only Lionel Messi—who earlier on Monday reached a record 18 World Cup goals—and is level with Germany’s Miroslav Klose, surpassing Brazil’s Ronaldo (15).
France, runners-up in 2022, have secured their spot in the last 32 after consecutive Group I victories. They will meet Erling Haaland’s Norway in Boston on Friday in their final group game. Iraq, meanwhile, are on the brink of elimination after back-to-back losses, and have lost all five of their World Cup matches spanning two appearances, four decades apart.
