France Crushes Iraq 3-0 as Mbappe Ties All-Time Scoring Mark
Photo: REUTERS
Kylian Mbappe celebrated his 100th appearance for France in spectacular fashion, scoring twice to secure a 3-0 victory over Iraq and clinching a spot in the FIFA World Cup 2026 Round of 32.
The Real Madrid star’s second-half strike saw him equal Miroslav Klose’s all-time record of 16 World Cup goals.
The match at a thunderstorm-delayed Philadelphia stadium remained firmly under French control from the outset. Mbappe ignited the scoring in the 14th minute, rifling a powerful 20-yard left-foot shot into the net after receiving a pass from Michael Olise.
The French captain’s record-equaling 16th goal arrived in the 54th minute following a defensive catastrophe from the Iraqi side. Defender Zaid Tahseen and goalkeeper Ahmed Basil mishandled a goal kick, allowing Ousmane Dembele to intercept and provide a routine assist for Mbappe.
Dembele later found the scoresheet himself in the 66th minute, netting the first World Cup goal of his career. The ever-inventive Olise provided his second assist of the night, sliding a pass to Dembele who crashed the ball home.
Despite the weather challenges, the 2018 champions and 2022 finalists faced little resistance from the Iraqi defense. With four goals in the current tournament, Mbappe now trails only Lionel Messi in the adidas Golden Boot race.
France now prepares for an upcoming encounter with Norway, having already guaranteed their place in the knockout stages.
Meanwhile, the football world watches as Mbappe continues his high-stakes pursuit of Messi for both the 2026 Golden Boot and the ultimate all-time World Cup scoring record.
