Kylian Mbappe scores twice as France register a second straight victory and book their place in the last 16.
France confirmed their place in the knockout stage of the FIFA World Cup 2026 after recording a convincing 3-0 victory over Iraq in their Group I encounter.
The French side maintained its perfect start to the tournament with a second consecutive win, ensuring qualification for the round of 16.
Star forward Kylian Mbappe once again led the charge with an outstanding display. The captain opened the scoring in the 14th minute, giving France an early advantage and putting Iraq under pressure from the outset.
His pace and attacking movement caused constant problems for the Iraqi defense throughout the match.
Mbappe doubled France’s lead in the 54th minute, completing his brace and taking his tally in the tournament to an impressive level.
The striker’s clinical finishing highlighted why he remains one of the biggest stars of world football and a key figure in France’s quest for another World Cup title.
France continued to dominate possession and create scoring opportunities after Mbappe’s second goal.
Their efforts were rewarded in the 66th minute when Ousmane Dembele added a third goal to put the result beyond doubt. The winger capitalized on France’s attacking momentum to seal an emphatic victory.
The triumph lifted France to the top of Group I with six points from two matches. With maximum points and a superior goal difference, Didier Deschamps’ side secured qualification to the knockout rounds with one group-stage fixture still to play.
Meanwhile, Iraq suffered a disappointing defeat and now face a difficult challenge in their remaining matches as they attempt to keep their hopes of advancing alive.
France’s impressive performances in the tournament have strengthened their status as one of the favorites to lift the FIFA World Cup 2026 trophy.
