Mbappé Chases Messi’s Record as France Beat Iraq to Reach World Cup Last 32

Kylian Mbappe and Lionel Messi

Mbappé Chases Messi’s Record as France Beat Iraq to Reach World Cup Last 32

Kylian Mbappe scored twice on his 100th international appearance to move joint-second on the all-time World Cup goalscoring list, as France overcame a near two-hour weather delay to beat Iraq 3-0 and secure their place in the Round of 32. The match at Philadelphia Stadium became the first at the 2026 World Cup to be interrupted by severe weather, with lightning strikes forcing an unprecedented halftime suspension that lasted nearly two hours. When play resumed, Didier Deschamps’ side showed no signs of rust, adding two more goals to confirm their status as one of the tournament’s strongest contenders.

The France captain opened the scoring in the 14th minute with a characteristically clinical finish, arrowing a left-footed strike into the far corner from the edge of the penalty area after a clever pass from Michael Olise. His second, arriving in the 54th minute after the weather interruption, was far simpler. A catastrophic defensive error from Iraq goalkeeper Ahmed Basil — who failed to control a short goal-kick from defender Zaid Tahseen — allowed Ousmane Dembele to steal possession and square for Mbappe to tap into an empty net. That brace took Mbappe’s World Cup career tally to 16 goals in just 16 matches, drawing him level with German icon Miroslav Klose and moving within two of the all-time record set by Lionel Messi just hours earlier. Messi had scored twice for Argentina against Austria to reach 18 World Cup goals, breaking the record Klose had held since 2014.

The match made unwanted history as the first World Cup game interrupted by severe weather. With France leading 1-0 at halftime, a thunderstorm cell moved over Philadelphia Stadium, bringing heavy rain and frequent lightning strikes within eight miles of the venue. FIFA safety protocols forced an immediate suspension of play, with fans directed to shelter in the stadium concourses while players retreated to their dressing rooms. The delay lasted approximately one hour and 50 minutes before match officials deemed conditions safe to resume. France manager Didier Deschamps described the interruption as “emotionally and mentally draining” for his squad. During the extended break, his players kept warm with light cycling exercises, while the coach later joked they “played cards” to pass the time. Iraq boss Graham Arnold took a more analytical approach, reviewing first-half footage with his players to identify tactical adjustments. Ground staff worked tirelessly to clear standing water from the pitch, and the second half finally kicked off around 8:00 PM local time — more than two hours after the first period had ended. The weather stoppage also led officials to cancel the scheduled second-half hydration break, with only two minutes of added time played.

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France’s third goal arrived in the 66th minute through Ousmane Dembele, who scored his first-ever goal for France at a major tournament in his 20th appearance. The finish — a composed strike into the bottom corner — was set up by a brilliant outside-of-the-foot pass from Olise, who continued his outstanding creative performance. Les Bleus had chances to extend their advantage further. Adrien Rabiot missed a clear header from close range, while Olise struck the crossbar with an audacious dink over the advancing goalkeeper. In the closing stages, Mbappe raced clear on goal and appeared destined to complete his hat-trick, but he blazed a left-footed effort high and wide.

Despite the defeat, Iraq showed resilience in the final 20 minutes. Defender Rebin Sulaka volleyed over from Zidane Iqbal’s corner, while Ali Al Hamadi narrowly failed to connect with a teasing cross from Marko Farji. However, the result leaves Iraq bottom of Group I with zero points after two matches, confirming their elimination from the tournament. The Asian side had also lost their opening fixture and now have no mathematical path to the knockout stage.

The victory gives France a perfect six points from two matches, with Norway also on six points following their win over Senegal. Both teams have officially secured qualification for the World Cup Round of 32 with one group game still to play. France, who reached the final in both 2018 and 2022, are now bidding to become the first nation to reach three consecutive World Cup finals since Brazil achieved the feat between 1994 and 2002. Their final Group I fixture against Norway on June 26 will decide top spot, but both sides are already through.

Mbappe’s pursuit of history remains one of the tournament’s defining storylines. With 16 goals in 16 World Cup matches, the French superstar is averaging one goal per game at the sport’s biggest tournament. At just 27 years old, he has the opportunity to challenge Messi’s record of 18 in future World Cups, making every France match a potential history-making occasion. France’s depth was also on full display in Philadelphia. Even without several key players, Deschamps’ squad demonstrated remarkable composure through an unprecedented interruption, highlighting the team’s mental toughness and tournament pedigree. The weather delay itself may also have broader implications for the tournament moving forward. This marks the first weather stoppage of the 2026 World Cup, raising questions about contingency planning at other stadiums across North America as the continent enters peak thunderstorm season.