On the morning of June 23rd, striker Mbappe scored a brace, helping the French national team defeat Iraq 3-0, thereby securing their place in the knockout round of the 2026 World Cup .

This achievement helps Mbappe equal the record of Miroslav Klose (Germany), placing them both second on the list of top scorers in World Cup history (16 goals). Argentina's superstar Lionel Messi leads with 18 goals.

Furthermore, Mbappe is the 10th player in history to reach 100 caps for the men's national team, and the youngest player to achieve this feat, at the age of 27 years and 184 days.

Mbappe became the fourth player to score two or more goals in three consecutive World Cups, joining Sandor Kocsis in 1954 (four tournaments), Guillermo Stabile in 1930, and Lionel Messi in 2026. At the 2022 World Cup, Mbappe scored eight goals, winning the Golden Boot, but France finished second. At the 2018 World Cup, Mbappe scored four goals, helping France win the championship.

Mbappe scored against Iraq. Photo: AP
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The French national team played two matches in the 2026 World Cup, and Mbappe scored four goals. Along with Messi (5 goals), Mbappe is creating an exciting race for the "Top Scorer" title.

While Mbappe was once again the center of attention, it was also a momentous day for Dembele. He scored his first goal in 20 appearances for the French national team in major tournaments (Euro, World Cup). Interestingly, four of Dembele's five assists for France were for Mbappe.

Notably, the 3-0 victory against Iraq marked Didier Deschamps' 16th World Cup win as coach of the French national team, equaling the record of legendary Helmut Schon at this tournament.

Video of Mbappe opening the scoring in France's 3-0 victory over Iraq. Source: VTV

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