France secured their place in the FIFA World Cup knockout stages with a comfortable 3-0 victory over Iraq in a match heavily disrupted by weather.
The France captain scored twice on his 100th international appearance to help Didier Deschamps’ side advance from Group I and continue their impressive start to the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
France dominated possession from the opening whistle, but Iraq defended resolutely for much of the first half. However, it took just 14 minutes for Mbappe to make the breakthrough. Michael Olise found the Real Madrid forward on the edge of the penalty area, and Mbappe responded with a powerful strike that flew into the top corner beyond goalkeeper Ahmed Basil.
Despite controlling the game, France were unable to add to their lead before half-time. A heavy thunderstorm then brought play to a halt, delaying the start of the second half by almost two hours.
Mbappe later admitted the interruption was challenging for the players.
“That is very difficult and very demanding. We stayed calm, I was joking with the players,” he said.
France quickly regained control after the restart and were handed a second goal by a costly Iraqi mistake. Ahmed Qasem’s misplaced pass towards his goalkeeper was intercepted by Ousmane Dembele, who unselfishly squared the ball for Mbappe to tap home his second goal of the night.
The strike took Mbappe to 16 World Cup goals, equalling the record previously held by former Germany striker Miroslav Klose.
When asked about chasing records, including Lionel Messi’s World Cup scoring mark, Mbappe insisted his focus remains on the team.
“If I want to keep up with what Leo is doing, I’ll have to do even more,” he said. “I’m just focusing on helping my team.”
France continued to create chances and nearly added another when Olise struck the crossbar with an inventive chipped effort.
The third goal finally arrived through Dembele, who scored his first goal at a major international tournament. The Ballon d’Or winner finished confidently from a tight angle after excellent work from Olise.
Deschamps praised his players for handling the unusual circumstances and securing qualification.
“The first half was good. In the second half, we were completely in control,” he said. “Putting the result beyond doubt is a very good thing; we’ve qualified tonight.”
France will now turn their attention to Friday’s final Group I match against Norway at Boston Stadium in Massachusetts, while Iraq must defeat Senegal to keep their World Cup hopes alive.
