France Advances as Mbappé Closes in on World Cup Scoring Record Against Iraq

The match between France and Iraq stretched close to four hours due to persistent thunderstorms, yet the French team managed a 3–0 victory that secured their spot in the knockout stages of the 2026 World Cup. Kylian Mbappé wasted no time displaying his top form, scoring a powerful left-footed goal in the 14th minute to put Les Bleus ahead.

Heavy rain interrupted play late in the first half, eventually causing a two-hour delay after halftime. The pause did little to hinder France’s momentum, as Mbappé scored again within the opening ten minutes of the second half following a costly error by Iraq's defense. Ousmane Dembélé assisted Mbappé’s second goal before adding his own first-ever World Cup goal to round out the scoring.

A Commanding Performance

Didier Deschamps' squad dominated the contest without seeming to push fully. Their control was clear as they eased through to the next round, with Mbappé’s blistering form making France a strong contender to lift the trophy.

Mbappé now has 16 goals in World Cup history, averaging one per game, ranking him tied with Miroslav Klose as the tournament's second-highest scorer ever.

With Lionel Messi also scoring twice to reach 18 World Cup goals, Mbappé is closing in fast. This duel for the record could soon crown Mbappé as the top World Cup scorer ever.

France Player Ratings (4-2-3-1 Formation)

Ratings by FotMob

• GK Mike Maignan — 7.1: Hardly tested throughout the match.
• RB Jules Koundé — 7.4: Provided reliable width but less involved in attack.
• CB Dayot Upamecano — 7.9: Solid defensively, rarely misplaced passes.
• CB William Saliba — 7.2: Dominated aerial duels and cleared threats comfortably.
• LB Lucas Digne — 7.1: Started with some errant passes but stayed safe overall.
• CM Manu Koné — 7.3: Replaced injured Tchouaméni, won possession repeatedly.
• CM Adrien Rabiot — 7.2: Quiet but effective, linked play well.
• RW Ousmane Dembélé — 8.6: Delivered a goal and an assist, marking his best major tournament performance.
• AM Michael Olise — 8.9: Central creative force, provided two assists, led chances created and dribbles completed.
• LW Bradley Barcola — 7.5: Stretched play wide but lacked precision near goal.
• ST Kylian Mbappé — 9.2: Scored two goals, including a thunderous strike, continuing to build an incredible World Cup legacy.

Substitutes

• Rayan Cherki (68’ for Olise) — 6.9: Showed skill during brief appearance.
• Désiré Doué (68’ for Dembélé) — 6.2: Limited time to influence game.
• Malo Gusto, Maghnes Akliouche, Marcus Thuram entered late with no notable impact.

Unused players included Brice Samba, Robin Risser, Ibrahima Konaté, Theo Hernández, Lucas Hernández, Maxence Lacroix, Aurélien Tchouaméni, N’Golo Kanté, Warren Zaïre-Emery, and Jean-Philippe Mateta.

Key Takeaways from the Match

Dembélé’s goal was a relief after a quiet start, providing the Ballon d’Or holder’s first World Cup goal. His assist eased pressure on him and boosted his confidence.

Bayern Munich’s Michael Olise impressed as France’s main playmaker, setting up two goals and creating the most chances. While Mbappé grabs headlines, Olise remains the creative heartbeat.

Manu Koné proved a worthy stand-in for the injured Aurélien Tchouaméni, controlling midfield battles effectively. His performance suggests he holds a strong position in Deschamps’ plans over N’Golo Kanté for now.

Statistics Explaining France's Comfortable Victory

France’s dominance showed clearly in statistics: they fired 19 shots compared to Iraq’s 4, with no saves needed from Maignan. Despite a relatively balanced possession, France made 42 touches inside Iraq’s penalty area, dwarfing Iraq’s seven. Mbappé alone took seven shots, more than the entire Iraqi side, while producing an expected goals (xG) of 1.20 against Iraq's 0.60.