Mbappé's brace draws him level with Klose in Philadelphia

France booked their Round of 32 place with a 3-0 win over Iraq, but the night belonged to Kylian Mbappé. His two goals lifted him to 16 World Cup goals, matching Miroslav Klose's long-standing tally as the competition's second-most prolific scorer and closing to within two of Lionel Messi, whose record had advanced to 18 only hours earlier. At 27, and with France firmly among the favourites, Mbappé has both the form and the time to make the all-time crown a realistic ambition rather than a distant dream.

He opened the scoring in the 14th minute, bending a left-footed strike beyond the Iraq goalkeeper after Michael Olise threaded him through — a finish made all the more striking for coming off his supposedly weaker foot. His second arrived in the 54th, a clinical effort after Ousmane Dembélé pounced on an Iraqi error deep in their own half. The occasion doubled as Mbappé's 100th appearance for France, a remarkable century reached at an age when most careers are only hitting their stride, and further proof of his standing at the very centre of this French generation.

How France weathered the storm to advance

Didier Deschamps' side were the better team throughout, with Olise and Dembélé a constant menace down the flanks and Mbappé leading the line with intent. His early goal set the tone before nature intervened: a fierce storm over Philadelphia forced a half-time delay of more than two hours, the first such stoppage of the 2026 tournament and a test of both teams' concentration. France returned unfazed, Mbappé adding his second and Dembélé sealing the win in the 76th with his first World Cup goal, on his 20th major-tournament appearance. Iraq competed honestly and defended in numbers, but lacked the cutting edge to trouble the scoreline, and France joined Mexico, the United States, Germany and Argentina as the fifth nation into the knockouts.

A record race that will define the tournament

Klose's 16 had stood untouched for years; within a single day it was overtaken by Messi and equalled by Mbappé. The contrast in their stories is stark — Messi at 38 with 18, Mbappé at 27 with 16 — and it frames a compelling subplot for the remainder of the competition. If France progress as expected, Mbappé will have every opportunity to reel in and perhaps surpass the new benchmark, whether this summer or in tournaments still to come. Few players have ever been so well placed to rewrite the history books.

A Group I decider awaits against Norway

France finish the group phase level on six points with Norway, who also went through, with the two meeting on the final matchday to settle top spot and the seeding that flows from it. Beyond the standings, it offers a forward's showpiece: Mbappé against Erling Haaland, both in ruthless touch and each capable of deciding the tie on his own. It is the sort of marquee fixture the group stage rarely serves up. Our forecast of France to score at least twice landed with ease.