France captain Kylian Mbappe delivered another outstanding performance at the 2026 FIFA World Cup, scoring twice as the defending champions defeated Iraq 3-0.
The match, played in Philadelphia, was delayed for more than two hours because of severe weather conditions before eventually continuing.
Mbappe marked his 100th appearance for France with a memorable display, while Ousmane Dembele also found the net for the tournament favourites.
France forward closes in on Messi record
Mbappe opened the scoring in the 14th minute before completing his brace early in the second half.
The goals took the Real Madrid forward’s World Cup tally to 16, leaving him two behind Argentina captain Lionel Messi, who recently set a new tournament record with 18 goals.
The French star is now level with Germany legend Miroslav Klose on the all-time World Cup scoring chart and continues to chase more history.
Storm delays World Cup clash
The game was interrupted at half-time after heavy rain and dangerous weather conditions forced officials to suspend play.
Fans at Lincoln Financial Field were instructed to move away from open seating areas and seek shelter as the storm moved across the city.
The second half resumed more than two hours later, making it the first match at the tournament to be delayed because of bad weather.
France continue strong campaign
Mbappe’s goals followed his two strikes in France’s opening 3-1 victory over Senegal, highlighting his impressive start to the tournament.
The 27-year-old also recently became France’s leading goalscorer after surpassing Olivier Giroud’s previous record.
With two wins from two matches in Group I, France have already secured qualification to the next stage.
Meanwhile, Iraq face the possibility of an early exit after suffering another defeat following their opening loss to Norway.
Dembele completes comfortable victory
After Mbappe’s second goal, France continued to dominate and created more chances.
Michael Olise hit the crossbar before setting up Dembele, who finished confidently in the 66th minute to seal a convincing 3-0 victory.
France will now prepare for their next match against Norway, while Iraq must fight to keep their World Cup hopes alive.