Mbappé double leads France past Iraq into knockout stage

France showed why it entered Group I as one of the favorites, controlling Iraq from the opening minutes and turning a rain-interrupted match in Philadelphia into a 3-0 victory. Kylian Mbappé scored twice, Ousmane Dembélé added the third, and France secured its place in the knockout stage with authority.

Mbappé opened the scoring just before the quarter-hour, bringing up his 15th World Cup goal in his 100th international for France. He finished his brace later in the match as the French attack kept pressing through the stoppage in play caused by rain at Philadelphia Stadium on June 22, 2026. The result extended France’s strong start after its 3-1 win over Senegal in the opening match of the tournament.

The scoreline was also notable for what it said about France’s balance. This was the first men’s World Cup meeting between France and Iraq, yet Didier Deschamps’ side imposed itself early and rarely let the game drift. FIFA described the French control as clear from the first minutes, and that edge held even when the weather interrupted the rhythm and forced both sides to reset.

Dembélé’s third goal closed the match and underlined a deeper point about France’s readiness for the rounds ahead. Mbappé supplied the headline moments, but the performance also showed a team with enough pace, structure and attacking depth to handle disruption without losing command. France did not need a late rescue or a narrow escape; it managed the game as a side intent on making the tournament’s next phase look routine.

The victory sent France into the round of 16 and set up a meeting with Norway on June 26 in Boston. With Senegal and Iraq already behind them, and with FIFA having placed France among the leading contenders in Group I, the two-time world champions have begun this World Cup in the manner of a side expecting to move far beyond the group stage.