Mbappe's brace closes gap on Messi's record in France's 3-0 win over Iraq

France exposed the defensive gaps in Iraq's backline to secure a comfortable 3-0 victory and a place in the FIFA World Cup 2026 knockout stage in their Group I clash at Philadelphia Stadium.

The match featured a brace from captain Kylian Mbappe and a two-hour weather delay at half-time caused by thunderstorms, but throughout the contest France looked firmly in control.

From the opening whistle, Les Bleus attacked relentlessly and their persistence paid off in the 14th minute.

The move developed down the right flank as Mbappe received the ball from midfield. Spotting Michael Olise making a run towards the edge of the penalty area, he attempted a pass.

The ball was intercepted by an Iraqi defender with a sliding tackle, but Mbappe reacted quickest to regain possession. Taking two quick touches towards the box, the French captain unleashed a shot from just outside the area.

The ball flew through a crowd of defenders and, although goalkeeper Ahmed Basil got a hand to it, the effort squirmed past him and into the net. France led.

Earlier, Iraq coach Graham Arnold had set his side up in a 4-5-1 formation, moving away from his preferred 4-4-2 in an attempt to contain France's attacking threat. In the first half, the plan worked reasonably well.

Their packed midfield disrupted France's rhythm and occasionally allowed the Lions of Mesopotamia to advance into the final third. However, the finishing touch was lacking. Whenever Iraq managed to hold possession, they showed flashes of promise on the counterattack, but France's aggressive pressing made sustained attacks difficult.

In the 27th minute, Ali Al-Hamadi produced Iraq's best effort of the half, forcing France's defence to remain alert.

Apart from that, however, the opening 45 minutes largely belonged to France.

The second half was delayed by nearly two hours because of severe weather, but when play eventually resumed, little changed.

France remained firmly in control as Rayan Cherki, Michael Olise, Mbappe and Ousmane Dembele repeatedly stretched the Iraqi defence.

Mbappe doubled the lead in the 54th minute following a costly error at the back. Zaid Tahseen's pass was intended for goalkeeper Ahmed Basil but instead rolled straight to Dembele inside the penalty area. The winger unselfishly squared the ball for Mbappe, who swept home with ease.

The strike took Mbappe's World Cup tally to 16 goals, drawing him level with Miroslav Klose as the joint second-highest scorer in tournament history. Only Lionel Messi, who earlier moved to 18 goals, now stands ahead of the French captain.

France put the result beyond doubt in the 66th minute. Michael Olise was the architect, gliding past several Iraqi defenders before splitting the defence with a perfectly weighted pass to Dembele. The winger's first-time finish flashed beyond Ahmed Basil to make it 3-0.

Iraq still had their moments. In the 75th minute, Ali Al-Hamadi nearly connected with a deep cross from the left, but the striker was unable to make the decisive touch needed to pull a goal back.

Credit must also go to Iraq's defenders. Despite the relentless French raids, they battled hard and prevented the scoreline from becoming even more lopsided.

Yet that resilience was not enough to prevent elimination. Having conceded seven goals across their opening two matches, Iraq now face an uphill battle. They had earlier suffered a 4-1 defeat to Norway and, even if they beat Senegal in their final group game, their hopes of progression appear slim.

France, meanwhile, march on to the knockout stage with confidence growing and Mbappe continuing his pursuit of World Cup history.