DUBAI: France beat Iraq 3-0 at the Philadelphia Stadium to go top of Group I and secure their place in the Round of 32 at the 2026 World Cup.
Les Bleus are certain of a top-two finish in the group after claiming a maximum of six points from their first two matches, the first of which resulted in a 3-1 victory over Senegal. Iraq remain bottom on zero points after also losing their first game, a 4-1 defeat by Norway, with their slim hopes of progress to the knockout stages hanging by a thread.
Hours earlier, Lionel Messi had become the sole all-time World Cup top scorer on 18 goals, after grabbing both strikes in Argentina’s 2-0 win over Austria. However, Kylian Mbappe, who was on 14 goals heading into Monday’s game, started the match as if he was determined to make major inroads into Messi’s total by the end of the night.
With less than two minutes on the clock, the French captain almost got on the end of Manu Kone’s scuffed shot. It wasn’t to be, but France did not have to wait much longer to take the lead.
Iraq’s veteran keeper, Jamal Hassan, had been dropped from the starting 11 after his misadventures against Norway, and his replacement, Ahmed Basil, and his defense had their work cut out for them as they faced a rampant forward line of Mbappe, Ousmane Dembele and Michael Olise.
Sure enough, after just 14 minutes Mbappe, making his 100th appearance for his country, struck a stunning left shot beyond the Basil’s reach to give France what had seemed like the inevitable lead.
With the French looking dangerous on every attack, the hydration break offered a timely intervention, and brief respite, for Iraq. Unfortunately for them it also signaled the departure of star striker Aymen Hussein through injury, to be replaced by Ali Al-Hamadi.
Five minutes before the break, Mbappe almost managed to dance his way through the Iraqi defense, and the torrential rain that had started, before being denied his second goal.
The severe weather conditions at half time, including thunderstorms, meant the second period was delayed for almost two hours. When the players eventually returned to the pitch, Iraq seemed rejuvenated and enjoyed much more of the ball in the early stages than they had managed at the start of first half.
A disastrous mistake by the Iraqi defense on 54 minutes undid all their good work, however, and Mbappe pounced on it to claim his second of the night and fourth of the competition. It moved him back within two strikes of Messi on the all-time World Cup top-scorers’ list.
Minutes later, Olise hit the bar with a clipped shot, and that was followed soon after by a saved Dembele shot. Still, it increasingly seemed only a matter of time before France would extend their lead.
And so it proved to be, as Dembele, after hitting the side netting in the 65th minute, grabbed his first goal of the tournament seconds later to give France a comfortable three-goal lead. He then immediately made way for substitute Desire Doue, while Rayan Cherki replaced Olise.
Iraq also made two changes, with Aimer Sher and Marko Farji replacing Amir Al-Ammari and Ibrahim Bayesh respectively, as their part in the match became an exercise in damage limitation. Al-Ammari almost managed to reduce the deficit after 75 minutes but his toe-poked effort trickled just wide.
With 10 minutes to go, an Mbappe volley missed the target before he departed the match in stoppage time, having equaled Miroslav Klose’s old record of 16 tournament goals. Moments later, the longest match of the 2026 World Cup came to a welcome end for all concerned.
France will conclude their Group I campaign with a game against Norway on Friday that will decide who tops the group, while Iraq face Senegal in a battle for third place and the possibility of a place in the knockout phase.
