The rain couldn’t dampen the spirits of Kylian Mbappé, who scored twice for the second consecutive World Cup match, leading Les Bleus to a 3-0 triumph over Iraq.
Mbappé’s second goal came thanks to a generous assist from Ousmane Dembélé, who later netted his first goal of the 2026 tournament.
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France’s attacking dominance was evident from the start, and in the 14th minute, Mbappé scored with a powerful left-footed shot past Iraq goalkeeper Ahmed Basil, giving his team a 1-0 lead.
Shortly after, Iraq’s striker and captain Aymen Hussein was substituted during the first hydration break, raising concerns with such an early exit, and was replaced by Ali Al-Hamadi.
As the first half progressed, rain began to fall and intensified, leading to a lengthy weather delay at halftime due to a passing thunderstorm at Philadelphia Stadium, with fans ordered to stay sheltered.
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After a two-hour halt, the teams returned to a rain-soaked field just before 8 p.m. ET. France quickly resumed their offensive, and in the 54th minute, Dembélé capitalized on a poor back pass to Basil, setting up Mbappé for his second goal.
Dembélé, who had faced scrutiny going into the tournament, finally found the net himself in the 66th minute with an assist from Michael Olise.
This goal secured a 3-0 win for Les Bleus, as Iraq was unable to mount a comeback.
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With this victory, France has secured a place in the knockout stage, though a top finish is not assured as they prepare to face a formidable Norway in their final group match. Iraq remains in contention, but must secure a victory against Senegal to keep their hopes alive for advancing as a third-place team.