FIFA WC 2026: Kylian Mbappe closes in on Messi’s World Cup scoring record in France’s 3-0 win over Iraq

Kylian Mbappe marked his 100th international appearance in style, scoring twice as France eased past Iraq 3-0 to secure a place in the FIFA World Cup 2026 Round of 32 with a game to spare.

Mbappe struck on either side of an extended half-time break, while Ousmane Dembele also found the net as France continued their impressive start to the tournament and maintained their perfect record in Group K.

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The France captain opened the scoring in the 14th minute with a stunning strike from 20 yards. After being set up by Michael Olise, Mbappe unleashed a powerful left-footed effort that gave Iraq goalkeeper Ahmed Basil no chance.

The goal was another landmark in Mbappe’s glittering World Cup career. His brace against Iraq took his tally to 16 World Cup goals, moving him level with Germany’s Miroslav Klose in second place on the tournament’s all-time scoring list. Only Argentina captain Lionel Messi, who now leads the charts with 18 goals, has scored more.

Mbappe also extended another remarkable record, becoming the first player to score two or more goals in six different FIFA World Cup matches.

France doubled their advantage after a costly error by Iraq. Defender Zaid Tahseen and goalkeeper Ahmed Basil miscommunicated while attempting to play out from the back, gifting possession to Dembele. The winger unselfishly squared the ball for Mbappe, who tapped into an empty net for his second goal of the evening.

Dembele then got on the scoresheet himself 12 minutes later. Continuing his excellent partnership with Olise, the Paris Saint-Germain forward latched onto a perfectly weighted pass and fired home the first World Cup goal of his international career to put the result beyond doubt.

France controlled proceedings from that point and comfortably saw out the victory to confirm their progression to the knockout stage.

The result sets up an intriguing final group-stage clash against Norway, although Les Bleus can approach the encounter knowing their place in the Round of 32 is already secured.

For Mbappe, the focus now shifts to an individual battle with Messi. The French superstar has four goals in the tournament, one behind the Argentine captain in the race for the Golden Boot, while also closing in on the World Cup’s all-time scoring record.

The 27-year-old is also nearing another personal milestone. Having earned his 100th international cap against Iraq, Mbappe is now just three appearances away from matching Didier Deschamps’ tally of 103 caps, currently the ninth-highest total in France men’s football history.